June 17, 2022
Chris Culbertson named interim dean for College of Arts and Sciences
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
Following an internal search, Chris Culbertson, professor of chemistry and associate dean of research and graduate studies for Kansas State University's College of Arts and Sciences, will serve as interim dean of the college, effective June 20.
Culbertson was appointed by Charles Taber, provost and executive vice president, and will serve while a national search commences this fall. Additional search details will be announced at a later date.
"As a respected educator and researcher and with his experience in strategic management and college initiatives, Dr. Culbertson is well-equipped to serve as interim dean," Taber said.
As interim dean, Culbertson will be the chief academic and administrative officer of the college. He will be responsible for providing leadership, strategic vision and direction and support for the college, along with inspiring, guiding and facilitating a strong and diverse faculty in the advancement of high-quality teaching, research and service.
“I am excited and honored to be able to serve as the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences this next year,” Culbertson said. “We have tremendous and wonderful faculty and staff who are dedicated to student engagement and success through excellent teaching, advising and RSCAD mentoring. We also have an awesome student body at both the undergraduate and graduate levels who will someday help lead this country in many areas. I look forward to working with everyone this next year to help the college create a clear vision of its central and foundational place in a 21st century R1 land-grant university and set the stage for the future, permanent dean.”
Culbertson joined K-State in 2002 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 2008 and professor in 2018. He co-founded the Molecular Biosensing Diagnostics lab in 2017 and became associate dean in 2019. Culbertson serves as the principal investigator for the Department of Chemistry Research for Undergraduate Programs funded by the National Science Foundation.
With a long history of service to the university, Culbertson currently serves on the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry advisory committee, the University Budget Steering Committee, the Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Time and Commitment Disclosure and Management Plan Review Committee, Campus Planning and Development Advisory Committee and several college and department committees.
Culbertson has received many honors, including the Stamey Award for Undergraduate Advising in 2010 and 2013 and a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2006. He has authored more than 65 publications, journal articles or book chapters and has presented his work nationally and internationally. He also holds nine patents and has four patent applications pending.
His research interests are focused on developing novel separation and sample handling components for microfluidic devices and then using these devices to solve interesting bioanalytical problems with special emphasis in the areas of protein separations and single-cell analysis. This research is multidisciplinary and draws upon knowledge in the fields of chemistry, physics, engineering, cell biology and biochemistry. His work has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA, Johnson Cancer Research Center and the Kansas Wheat Commission.
Culbertson holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Harvard College, a second bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of West Florida, a doctoral degree in analytical chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as a postdoctoral fellowship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.