Christopher Kemper Ober
Cornell University
Materials Science & Engineering
310 Bard Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853-1501
Telephone: (607) 255-8417
Fax: (607) 255-6575
(Index)
Research Interests
Professional Experience
Education
Professional Affiliations and Activities
RESEARCH INTERESTS
(for more information see the MS&E Page)
Synthesis and characterization of functional polymers. Research involves the preparation of tailored polymer structures with specific molecular architectures for predefined properties. Subsequent probe of polymer behavior with advanced physical techniques and use of information in the design of improved macromolecular materials. Of special interest are systems which undergo self-organization/assembly including liquid crystalline polymers and block copolymers. [Top]
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Associate Dean for Engineering Research & Graduate Studies (9/07 to present)
- President, IUPAC Polymer Division
- 2007 Humboldt Research Prize
- 2006 ACS Award in Applied Polymer Science
- Francis Bard Professor of Materials Engineering, (7/98 - present) Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Bard Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Director, Department of Materials Science & Engineering (1/00 to 12/03)
- Chair, PMSE Division of the American Chemical Society (2000)
- Associate Editor, Macromolecules (5/95 - present)
- Titular Member, IUPAC Macromolecular Division (IV), 2004-2007
- 2003 International Sematech Outstanding Contribution Award
- 2001 Unilever Award for Outstanding Graduate Thesis in the Polymer Field, advisor of graduate student Dr. Shu Yang (Lucent Bell Laboratories)
- American Chemical Society Journal Editor Search Hiring Task Force, 2001
- Visiting Professor, University of Pisa (10/99)
- Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Max-Planck-Institut for Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany, 2001 to 2006
- Recipient of the 2000 SRC Award for Creative Invention, with Karen Gleason (MIT) and Dan Herr (SRC)
- Recipient of the 2000 SRC/SSA/International Sematech (ISMT) award for research in manufacturing and environment, safety and health with Gina Weibel, a Cornell MS&E graduate student, and by Karen K. Gleason and Hilton G. Pryce-Lewis of MIT.
- Associate Professor, (7/92 - 7/98) Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Bard Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Humboldt Research Fellow and Guest Professor (7/93 - 6/94), Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Mainz, Germany.
- Assistant Professor, (9/86 - 6/92) Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Bard Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
- Senior Member of Research Staff, (9/84 - 8/86) Xerox Research Centre of Canada, Mississauga, ON, Canada.
- NSERC Canada Industrial Postdoctoral Fellow, (4/82 - 8/84) Xerox Research Centre of Canada, Mississauga, ON, Canada. [Top]
EDUCATION
- Ph.D., 1982. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. Department of Polymer Science & Engineering
- NSERC Canada Graduate Fellow, 1978-1982
- Thesis: "The Synthesis and Characterization of Liquid Crystalline Polyesters Based upon p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid" under guidance of Prof. R. W. Lenz
- M.S., 1980. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. Department of Polymer Science & Engineering
- B.Sc., 1978. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
- Major: Honours Chemistry (Co-Operative Programme)
- Chem 13 Scholar 1973-1978 [Top]
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
- American Chemical Society
- Member of Executive Committee, Cornell Section, American Chemical Society, May 1989 to April 1991.
- Member of ACS Polymer Division Program Committee, 1990 to present.
- Polymeric Materials: Science & Engineering Division of the ACS
- Member-at-Large of PMSE Division of ACS, 1993-'94, 1995-'96
- Secretary of PMSE Division of ACS, 1997 to 1998
- Chair Elect of PMSE Division of ACS, 1998
- Vice Chair, PMSE Division of ACS, 1999
- Chair, PMSE Division of ACS, 2000
- Chair: Workshops Committee, 1997 to 1998.
- Associate Editor, Macromolecules (5/95 - present).
- Member, editorial boards, Polymer Bulletin; Polymers for Advanced Technologies
- Member: Materials Research Society, American Physical Society [Top]