Physicist Alexei Sokolov Appointed University Distinguished Professor
Sokolov earns recognition along with seven additional Texas A&M faculty announced Tuesday (Jan. 30) as the latest recipients of the coveted title: Dr. Robert Ambrose, professor in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering; Dr. Mladen Kezunovic, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering within the College of Engineering; Dr. Mansoor Khan, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences within the Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy; Dr. Frances Ligler, professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering within the College of Engineering; Dr. John Mullet, professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Dr. Ashok Shetty, professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics within the School of Medicine; and Dr. Peter Yu, Regents Professor of Law and Communication within the School of Law who also holds a dual appointment in the Department of Communication and Journalism.
The 2024 University Distinguished Professor honorees join a select group of more than 100 current faculty members who hold the prestigious title — one bestowed in perpetuity that identifies faculty members who are preeminent in their fields and have made at least one landmark contribution to their disciplines. Their work is considered central to any narrative of the field and is widely recognized to have changed the direction of its scholarship. Past recipients of the lifetime title participate in the selection process, growing the ranks of distinguished professors by just a handful of scholars each year.
Collectively, this year’s cohort has made significant contributions and inspired innovative thought in intellectual property rights, experimental high-energy physics, space systems, automated power systems and smart grids, drug delivery systems, optical biosensors, building genome maps and enhancing brain function after injury, disease or aging. They will be recognized later this spring for their achievements during an April 18 induction ceremony and reception jointly hosted by the Offices of the President and Faculty Affairs.
“Dr. Sokolov is a brilliant scientist and a natural leader in the field of quantum optics with several major discoveries and breakthrough developments under his belt,” said Dr. Grigory Rogachev, professor and head of Texas A&M Physics and Astronomy. “We are proud and delighted that he received this award. It highlights the leadership role of the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the field of quantum optics, which now features four Distinguished Professors.”
This story source was originally published by Texas A&M Arts & Sciences.