Rate My Professor Cory Christenson

Cory Christenson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Physics, Chair of the Physics Department, and Director of the First Year Seminar Program at Washington & Jefferson College. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Arizona in 2011 and his B.A. in Physics from Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. Prior to his appointment at Washington & Jefferson College in 2016, where he began as an Assistant Professor, Christenson held a postdoctoral position at Case Western and served as a consulting engineer for companies in the organic photonics industry. His professional experience bridges advanced research in physics with practical engineering applications, particularly in photonics and optics technologies.

Christenson's academic interests focus on organic polymers and dyes for optics-based technologies, including solar cells, holography, and data storage. He also investigates diverse liberal arts topics to enhance undergraduate learning, such as self-driving cars, the history of energy, and incorporating multicultural histories of physics into laboratory and classroom settings. He authored the article 'Multicultural History of Snell's Law Laboratory Experiment: Ibn Sahl, Harriot, and Snell,' published in The Physics Teacher in 2022. Christenson serves on the Scientific Board of the Journal of Nonlinear Optics and Quantum Optics and is active in the Western Pennsylvania Division of the American Association of Physics Teachers. At Washington & Jefferson College, he contributes to programs including Biological Physics, Chemical Physics, Experimental Physics, Mathematical Physics, Philosophy & Physics, and Earth and Space Science. His involvement extends to student outreach, such as STEM festivals, Cub Scout science badges, and first-year seminars that connect physics to broader societal impacts.