 His interest in the genus "Antennaria" was inspired through noted evolutionary botanist, George Ledyard Stebbins (1906–2000), who was a visiting professor at the Ohio State University in 1978–1979.His early academic career was as an Assistant Professor of Biology and Curator of the Benedict Herbarium (WOCB) at University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada (1984–1987).In 1987 he moved to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to take up the post of Assistant Professor of Botany and Curator of the Vascular Plant Herbarium (ALTA) at the University of Alberta (1987–1990).