University of the Sciences awarded Dr. Alexander Sidorenko, assistant professor of chemistry, the Faculty Merit Award during the University’s Founders’ Day celebration on Feb. 23, 2012. The annual award honors a faculty member who represents the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of the University’s founders. The recipient also engages in research or some form of scholarly pursuit that results in new developments or innovations.
(Dr. Alexander Sidorenko with Provost Dr. Russell DiGate)
Sidorenko earned recognition for a number of research projects which focus on the development of materials for health, electronics, and energy conversion applications. Dr. Sidorenko uses his expertise to address intriguing challenges in materials science.
“Alexander manages to maintain a successful balance between high profile research and enthusiastic teaching and mentorship,” said Vojislava Pophristic, PhD, chemistry and biochemistry department chair. “Alexander has been persistent and dedicated in building a specialized facility at USciences and thanks to him, we currently have several vital instruments serving both research and teaching.”
Early in his academic career, the National Science Foundation granted Dr. Sidorenko with competitive research funding through the Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) program. The program supports daring and potentially transformative research ideas. The entrepreneurship of Dr. Sidorenko’s research also earned him funding though Bristol Myers Squibb.
With approximately 50 publications, Dr. Sidorenko’s work includes a Science article for which he was the first author, a Nature Nanotechnology paper, a Langmuir paper featured on the cover page of the journal, and a Soft Matter article highlighted on the inside front cover of the issue and noted as one of the journal’s 10 most downloaded for February 2010. Dr. Sidorenko has been cited more than 1,400 times and was also awarded 15 patents, including one for liquid mirrors.
Dr. Sidorenko makes a profound impact at USciences, having been nominated for the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for distinguished teaching four times. In addition to teaching several undergraduate courses, Dr. Sidorenko has developed two new graduate courses and has built a research group of two PhD, three MS, and a number of undergraduate students.