I’m Oliver, 21 years old (as of 2022) and currently studying at the University of Utah. I’ve been studying drums and percussion with Mike for a little more than a decade, and I’ve been in teacher training with Mike since my freshman year of college, around late 2020-early 2021.

Since Spring 2022,  I have taught 30-40 students  and held recitals in 2023 and 2024 to show off their talents! I love to see student’s progress in music and grow my relationship with them over time as a teacher.

When it comes to schooling, I am finishing my third year studying Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Biomaterials and Drug Delivery. I have been working in the Ghandehari research lab focused on nanomedicine, with the goal of helping critically ill children dealing with respiratory illness since Spring 2022. I have been a co-author on two published manuscripts related to this research, and won the 2023 Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award in the School of Pharmacy from the University of Utah. I have been a recipient of multiple scholarships including the Utah Flagship Scholarship and the Regents Scholarship. I have also spoken at multiple research conferences, including speaking to lawmakers on Capitol Hill for my research.  Although my schooling may not have anything to do with music, I still have a deep love for the drums and enjoy teaching very much.