The Expanding Frontier

Creating Sci-fi RPG Resources

  • Home
  • Order a Map
  • Order Miniatures
  • Supporters
  • About
  • Bio

Bio

I never know if I should write these in first person or third person but I think first person sounds friendlier so I’ll go with that.

I started playing RPGs back in 1983-84, I don’t exactly remember when but it was in school as part of the gifted and talented class I was in.  One of the guys in the class pitched the idea to the teacher and she gave the okay.  So over the course of several weeks (the class met once a week), we all rolled up characters and played through an adventure using the red box Basic set of D&D from the BECMI series.  The same guy gave me a copy of the Basic set for my birthday in early ’84 and I’ve been hooked ever since.  Shortly after receiving my red box, I traded that in for Star Frontiers and never really looked back.  Science fiction has always held at least as much interest, if not more, for me than fantasy.

I’ve been one of the primary torch-bearers for the Star Frontiers game for the last decade or so, including creating and editing the Frontier Explorer and maintaining the Star Frontiersman, two fan magazines for the game.  I also maintain the starfrontiers.us and starfrontiers.info websites.  I’ve also done a bit of blogging in the past, my gaming posts have primarily been at the Arcane Game Lore blog, and I used to write about computer and astronomy topics at the Programming Space blog. I haven’t been posting much recently, however.

I’ve been interested in computers and astronomy for almost as long as I can remember.  My family got our first computer (a Sinclair ZX81) for Christmas in 1978 when I was six and I’ve been programming ever since.  My interest in astronomy dates from at least that early as well.  When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would always say I wanted to be an astronomer and work for NASA.

After high school, I received and B.S. in Physics and then went on to receive a M.S. and Ph.D. in Astronomy.  After receiving my Ph.D., I started work as a software developer on NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (then called GLAST).  So you could say, mission accomplished.  Along the way, I’ve also picked up a M.S. in Library Science as well.

My current day job is as a Senior Scientific Software Developer working on the NASA Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope project, a position I’ve held off and on since mid 2003.  During the “off” times, I’ve had stints as the Information Software Development Manager for NASA’s SOFIA project and have worked as the Physical & Mathematical Sciences Librarian at BYU.  I also am an Adjunct Professor at BYU teaching intro level computer science classes.

Finally, I’m happily married and the father of seven (yes you read that correctly) ranging in age from 4 to 22. My older kids all play RPGs so I’m doing my part to grow the hobby in that area. Besides computers, astronomy, and RPGs, I enjoy camping, hiking, watching my wife and kids play sports, and reading a good book.

Become a Patron!

Recent Posts

  • Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • State of the Frontier – August 2022
  • Battle of Hargut (Gruna Garu) – FY62.098
  • Archived Arcane Game Lore Posts – May 2013 to Dec 2014
  • A Look at Yachts and Privateers
  • Homeworld Bound – A Campaign Concept
  • Second Battle of Fromeltar (Terledrom) – FY62.083
  • Sample Star System Data
  • Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.038 to FY62.068
  • State of the Frontier – July 2022

Categories

  • 3D Models
  • Adventures
  • Background
  • Creatures/Races
  • Deck Plans
  • Equipment
  • Game Design
  • General
  • Locations
  • Maps
  • NPCs
  • Optional Rules
  • Patreon-only
  • Project Overviews
  • Reviews
  • Setting Material
  • Starships
  • System Brief
  • Vehicles
  • Writing

Recent Comments

  • Loguar on Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • Loguar on Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • Tom on Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • Rook on Maps and Counters
  • Loguar on Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • Tom on Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • Tom on Second Battle of Fromeltar (Terledrom) – FY62.083
  • Loguar on Detailed Frontier Timeline – FY62.069 to FY62.99
  • Loguar on Second Battle of Fromeltar (Terledrom) – FY62.083
  • Aemon Aylward on Sample Star System Data

Archives

  • September 2022 (1)
  • August 2022 (9)
  • July 2022 (3)
  • June 2022 (3)
  • May 2022 (3)
  • June 2021 (1)
  • April 2021 (1)
  • February 2021 (4)
  • January 2021 (6)
  • December 2020 (5)
  • November 2020 (11)
  • October 2020 (4)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (4)
  • July 2020 (6)
  • June 2020 (5)
  • May 2020 (8)
  • April 2020 (5)
  • March 2020 (5)
  • February 2020 (5)
  • January 2020 (5)
  • December 2019 (7)
  • November 2019 (4)
  • October 2019 (6)
  • September 2019 (5)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (7)
  • June 2019 (5)
  • May 2019 (6)
  • April 2019 (7)
  • March 2019 (4)
  • February 2019 (5)
  • January 2019 (7)
  • December 2018 (5)
  • November 2018 (10)
  • October 2018 (4)
  • September 2018 (4)
  • August 2018 (5)
  • July 2018 (4)
  • June 2018 (4)
  • May 2018 (12)
  • December 2015 (1)
  • November 2015 (2)
  • December 2014 (4)
  • November 2014 (3)
  • June 2014 (1)
  • January 2014 (1)
  • July 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (2)
  • May 2013 (3)

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Powered by WordPress | theme Layout Builder