Satyendra Kumar

Dr. Kumar joined the University at Albany as Associate Vice President for Research in 2016.

Prior to coming to Albany, he was a professor of physics at Kent State University. He has previously served as Associate Vice President of Research at Kent State University, and as Program Director for the Condensed Matter Physics and Biomaterials programs in the Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation (NSF). He received the NSF Director’s Award for Program Review Excellence in 2007.

He was elected President of the International Liquid Crystal Society (ILCS) (2004 to 08), which publishes two flagship journals, holds major international conferences on liquid crystals and recognizes achievements of junior, mid-career and senior researchers.

Dr. Kumar has extensive experience in attracting significant extramural funding from the NSF, Department of Energy, NASA and several private companies for his research. He has expertise in mentoring faculty researchers seeking extramural funding and forming state and nationwide coalitions in emerging areas of research.

Dr. Kumar is an internationally recognized researcher in soft condensed matter physics. He employs high-resolution and synchrotron x-ray scattering, small-angle neutron and quasi-elastic light scattering, and electro-optical techniques to understand the structure, dynamics, critical phenomena and positional and orientational orders in various fascinating phases of liquid crystals.
 

Professional Career

• 2016 to present, Associate Vice President for Research and Economic Development, and Professor of Physics, University at Albany
• 2018 to present, Director, Ion Beam Laboratory, University at Albany, SUNY
• 2016 to present, Honorary Professor, Amity University, Noida, India
• 2009 to 2013, Associate Vice President for Research, Kent State University
• 2004 to 2008, President, International Liquid Crystal Society
• 2008 to 2012, Past-President, International Liquid Crystal Society
• 2005 to 2008, Program Director, Condensed Matter Physics and Biomaterials Programs Division of Materials Research, National Science Foundation
• 2001 to 2005, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Physics, Kent State University
• 1999, Visiting Professor, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore, India
• 1997 to 2016, Professor of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
• 1991 to 1997, Associate Professor, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
• Fall 1993, Visiting Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA
• 1987 to 1991, Assistant Professor, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
• 1984 to 1987, Senior Physicist, Tektronix Incorporated, Beaverton, Oregon