MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: 
David Charles

• Hometown: Stamford, CT
• Campus: UIUC
• Illinois Degree(s) & Major(s): N/A - although, I'll probably eventually get one :D
• Year of Illinois graduation: N/A
• Favorite UI Memory: Being at the StateFarm Center watching the Illini take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on March 8, 2020; I watched the game with some friends who live in Iowa and are UIUC alums; the celebration that ensued after we won was memorable :D
• Favorite Place on Campus: Research Park
• Favorite Illini athlete: Kofi Cockburn
• Favorite class at Illinois: Any class I am teaching or guest lecturing in :D
• Favorite UIUC Bar/Restaurant: Naya - they used to have Asian-Italian fusion food but during the pandemic they closed; happy to say the reopened (2023, I think) but now serving Indian cuisine
• Moved to Houston: 2020
• What brought you to Houston: Work - I tried my hand at entrepreneurship by joined a startup
• Favorite things About Houston: Everything: the food, the people, the arts, the rodeo, the weather (except the summer heat, the derechos, and the hurricanes :D)
• Favorite places in Houston: Food: Paulie's, Pappas Steak House, BCN; Wine: Camerata, 13 Celsius, The Library, Mutiny
• Occupation: College Professor (at the iSchool and Gies)
• Something special about me: I am on the Wine Garden Committee of the rodeo
• How to get in contact: E-Mail

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