Teaching Experience

My teaching philosophy: 1) teach students how to read and translate the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), by learning pronunciation, complex verbal forms, significant grammatical concepts, vocabulary, etc.; 2) teach students the significance of Biblical Hebrew in light of the ancient world as well as the Restoration; 3) teach by the Spirit of the Lord; 4) love and appreciate students and acknowledge their importance; 5) mentor students, both during the school year as well as subsequent years.

Research

My scholarly research and publication schedule deals with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Hebrew Bible, esp. 1 & 2 Samuel and Isaiah. In order to make judgments and characterizations of textual variants, my text-critical methodology deals with paleography, orthography, phonology, syntax, transcriptional texts, word-word correspondences, MT ketib-qere system, lexical/linguistic analysis, intertextual/contextual readings, textual character, and the four categories—accidental errors, intentional changes, synonymous readings, and
scribal interventions/conventions.

Service

My academic service, which impacts the university community and regional, national, and international interfaith groups (i.e., Jewish, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant) comprises: organizer/co-organizer of symposia; advisor for museums/special exhibits; presenter to academics and informed general audiences; service on ad hoc/long term committees; fund raising for BYU; mentoring students/scholars; theses/dissertation committees; television/radio/news outlet interviews, and more.

Citizenship assignments

• International Team of Translators of the Dead Sea Scrolls (1994–present)
• Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation Board of Directors (Jerusalem) (2014–present)
• Chair, Department Rank and Status Committee (2019–present)
• Department Rank and Status Committee (2017–2019)
• Dead Sea Scrolls Foundation Board of Advisors (Jerusalem) (2008–2014)
• Hebrew Section Head (1995–2017)
• College Rank and Status Committee (2009–2011)
• Chair, University Awards Committee (annual awards) (2009)
• University Awards Committee (annual awards) (2007–2008)
• Search Committee, Dean of Humanities (2005)
• Search Committee, Director of Maxwell Institute (2005)
• Board of Directors of the Institute for the Study and Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (formerly FARMS) (1987–2007)
• Department Rank and Status Committee (2007–2008)
• Various presentations for Church Public Affairs (2005–present)
• Various presentations for BYU Speakers Bureau (2011–present)
• Department Search Committee (2001, 2004)
• Organized and directed two Hebrew Intensive Study Abroad programs, Jerusalem (1994, 2000)
• Program Committee, Society of Biblical Literature, Great Plains Region (various years)
• Plus more