"Growing up in northern California, I noticed a parallel between fearlessness in the water and fearlessness on land. A lot of the big wave guys I grew up idolizing were notorious for getting into serious shit—meth, drunk driving accidents, just general mayhem. As the son of a psychologist, I began to wonder if there was something about the brains of these people that drove this behavior. I took my first research job in San Diego in 2009 and though the place has changed, my questions are still the same. I’m still looking for the biological reasons for risky behavior. I’ve learned a lot, but most of my questions are still unanswered and that lack of knowledge keeps me motivated." - Michael Barrus