Dave was born in Allentown, PA in 1983. He received his undergraduate education in Lancaster, PA at Franklin and Marshall College where he conducted undergraduate research with Professor Phyllis Leber investigating the mechanisms of gas-phase hydrocarbon isomerization reactions. In 2006, Dave moved to Harvard University to pursue graduate studies with Professor Tobias Ritter and investigated the role of metal–metal redox cooperation in C–H oxidation catalysis. After receiving a Ph.D. in 2011, Dave joined Professor Daniel Nocera's research group as an NIH post-doctoral fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, where he studied molecular photocataylsis for solar energy conversion. In 2015, Dave moved to Texas A&M University as an assistant professor. His research program is based on synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry with an emphasis on developing reaction chemistry for sustainable synthesis.