Nick was born and raised in Anchorage, but left Alaska for the high desert in 2009 to study civil engineering at New Mexico Tech. He then obtained his MS and PhD at Oregon State University, where he specialized in geotechnical engineering, soil mechanics, and physics-based landslide modeling. Before joining the Sitka Sound Science Center, Nick was a postdoctoral fellow at the USGS Landslide Hazards Program, where he investigated the influence of wildfire on landslide initiation in western Oregon. His current focus is helping communities develop landslide knowledge and hazard maps throughout Southeast Alaska. In his free time, Nick can usually be found on a bicycle, strapped to a pair of skis, and/or spending time with loved ones.