hiː ɪz ɐ nˈeɪɾɪv ʌv ˌɪndiːˈænə, ænd ɹᵻsˈiːvd hɪz bˈætʃəlɚz dᵻɡɹˈiː ɪn ɛntəmˈɑːlədʒi fɹʌm pˈɜːduː jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən ænd hɪz pˌiːˈeɪtʃ.dˈiː. fɹʌm nˈɔːɹθ kˌæɹəlˈaɪnə stˈeɪt jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn.
He is a native of Indiana, and received his bachelor's degree in entomology from Purdue University in 1977 and his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in 1981.