Christopher M. Sorensen

Cortelyou-Rust University Distinguished Professor

University Distinguished Teaching Scholar

CASE/Carnegie National Professor of the Year

Adjunct Professor of Chemistry

Education

B.S. Physics, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, 1969

M.S. Physics, University of Colorado, 1973

Ph.D. Physics, University of Colorado, 1977

 

Professional Experience  

1977 - 1982      Assistant Professor of Physics, Kansas State University
1982 - 1986      Associate Professor of Physics, Kansas State University
1986 - 2000      Professor of Physics, Kansas State University
1987 - present   Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, Kansas State University
2000 - present   University Distinguished Professor
2009 - present   Cortelyou-Rust University Distinguished Professor

Honors

Phi Eta Sigma (1966)

Phi Beta Kappa (1969)

Woodrow Wilson Fellow (1969)

Stamey Teaching Award (1990, 1994, KSU College of Arts & Sciences)

Commerce Bank Teaching Award (1996)

Schenk Physics Teaching Award (1996, 2006, KSU Physics)

Commerce Bank Distinguished Graduate Faculty Member Award (1997)

University Distinguished Professor (2000)

Presidential Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching (2002)

David Sinclair Senior Scientist Award, American Assoc. for Aerosol Research (2003)

Making a Difference Award (2007, KSU Women in Science and Engineering)

Coffman Chair for Distinguished Teaching Scholars (2007)

Carnegie/CASE National Professor of the Year for Doctoral Universities (2007)

George Norlin Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Colorado (2008)

Olin Petefish Award in Basic Science, Higuchi-KU Endowment Award (2008)

Cortelyou-Rust University Distinguished Professor (2009)

Fellow, American Association for Aerosol Research (2011)

Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching, K-State Alumni Association (2011)

Named one of the top 150 scientists in Kansas history by Ad Astra Kansas Initiative (2011)

Fellow, American Physical Society (2012)

 

University Service

KSU Vice President for Research search committee (2014)

President Beta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (2013- 2014)

KSU Long Range Planning Committee (2012-2013)

Chair, Task Force for the Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Enterprise at KSU (2010)

KSU President search committee (2008-2009)

KSU Research Foundation Board of Directors Executive Committee (2004-2009)

KSU Research Foundation Board of Directors (2002-2009)

Ron and Rae Iman Outstanding Faculty Awards committee (2007-2009)

Dean’s Advisory Committee (2005-2008)

Primary texts program advisory committee (2003-present)

Honors program advisory committee (2006-present) S

tate of Kansas DEPSCoR Committee (2004-2008)

KSU Intellectual Property Advisory Committee (1997-2004)

Kansas Board of Regents Natural Sciences Review Team (2000-2001)

Faculty Development/University Small Research Grant Awards Committee (1996-2000)

University Distinguished Teaching Scholar Selection Committee (Chair) (1997-1999)

Presidential Lecturer (1986-present).

 

Synergistic Activities

  • Very active in the American Association for Aerosol Research. Served as president in 2007- 2008, the Board of Directors from 1995 to 1998, and chaired the annual meeting in 1997.

  • Created, developed and taught a “New Studio” course for sophomore-level fundamental physics, that handles 450 students per year. This is now an integral part of our engineering curriculum.

  • Adapted, developed and taught this New Studio concept to a three-semester optics curriculum.

  • Created and taught a fundamental physics course for non-SMET majors, freshmen and sophomores, which includes (~40%) reading and discussion of the writings of great physicists.

  • Created and teach a seminar course “Great Ideas in Physics.”

  • Co-created and developed and am primary lecturer for a 4 day summer workshop (EXCITE) for teenage girls.

  • Lecture at ca. 5 high schools per year on science.

  • Supervise high school student research sponsored by ACS project SEED (over 18 years).

  • Supervised 19 MS, 16 PhDs, and 11 postdoctoral and over 60 undergraduates in research.

  • Associate Editor, Aerosol Science and Technology (1998 to 2011).

  • Faculty advisor to both the KSU Men’s and Women’s Rugby Clubs and the CrossFit club.

  • Coached girls’ softball for 13 years.

Patents

  • Encapsulated Nanometer Magnetic Particles, US Patent No. 6,045,925 with Klabunde and Zhang, April 4, 2000.

  • Synthesis of Monodisperse Gold Colloids by the Solvated Metal Atom Dispersion (SMAD) Method and their Organization in 2D-and 3D-Structures, US Patent No. 6,562,504 with Stoeva and Klabunde, May 13, 2003.

  • Glass Composite Including Dispersed Rare Earth Iron Garnet Nanoparticles, US Patent Number 6,790,521B1 with S. Taketome and K. Klabunde, Sept. 14, 2004.

  • Glass Composite Including Dispersed Rare Earth Iron Garnet Nanoparticles, US Patent Number 7,078,071B2 with S. Taketome and K. Klabunde, July 18, 2006.

  • Novel Siloxanes and Methods of Synthesis Thereof using Metallic Nanoparticles Catalyst, US Patent Number 7,244,799 with B. Prasad and K. Klabunde, July 17, 2007.

  • Creation of Ultralow Density Porous Materials via Aerosol Gelation:  Aerosol Gels, US Patent Number 7,691,909 with A. Chakrabarti, R. Dhaubhadel and C. Gerving, April, 6, 2010.

  • Process for High-yield Production of Graphene via Detonation of Carbon Containing Material, C. M. Sorensen, G. P Singh, A. Nepal, US Patent applied May 10, 2013.

  • Direct Dissolution of Bulk Materials to Nanoparticles, Christopher M. Sorensen, Stefan Bossmann, Xiao-Min Lin, Emily J. McLaurin, Jessica Changstrom, Pablo Guimera Coll, Jeffrey Alan Powell, Hongwang Wang, and Asanka Sajini Yapa. US Patent filed June 16, 2014.

  • Nanoscale Graphene Oxide from Detonation Graphene, Christopher Sorensen, Arjun Nepal, Gordon Chiu. US Patent filed August 19, 2014.