Dr. Brooks has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, a Master of Business Administration degree, and a PhD in Molecular Biology all from the University of Wyoming. “I spent a large amount of my Ph.D. at Scripps Research in La Jolla, CA, and I did my postdoctoral fellowship in Pharmaceutics/Bioengineering at the University of Utah, said, Dr. Brooks.

After his postdoctoral fellowship, he led the engineering team at Carterra to develop a high-throughput, Surface Plasmon Resonance instrument that drug companies use to screen antibody-based therapies. He then followed his wife to North Dakota State University where he taught biochemistry to health science majors and managed NIH grants.

Dr. Brooks and his family are excited to be in Utah and to be so close to family. “Our parents, kids, and grandchildren all live in the area,” he said.

His passion for being a mentor and teaching students is what makes him thrilled to be a part of RVU. He is looking forward to creating an environment where students feel at home exploring their career opportunities and meeting their goals. “I love seeing students succeed and do great things!”

Alaska is his favorite place to visit. He and his family own some land in SE Alaska on the ocean where they are building a cabin. “Every time we visit we have unbelievable experiences.”

When Dr. Brooks is not working or in Alaska, he is on search and rescue teams. He has a certified HRD and tracking/trailing dog named Sigi. “Sigi and I have trained and searched all over the country with different groups. It’ is extremely rewarding to work with SAR professionals and to help people,” said Dr. Brooks.