Faculty

Ken Christensen

A middle-aged man with glasses stands confidently in a brightly lit hallway, wearing a blue button-up shirt, with colorful artwork and people blurred in the background.

Associate Dean of Academic Affairs & Professor

ENB 319 | 813-974-4761

Email | Homepage | Google Scholar | LinkedIn | CV

Biography

Dr. Ken Christensen is a professor and associate dean of academic affairs in the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at the University of South Florida in Tampa. His research focuses on the intersection of networks and energy, including energy-efficient computing and communications systems and the use of communications to improve the storage, distribution and use of energy in small grids. Over the past 25 years, Christensen has made significant contributions to proxying for network connectivity and Energy Efficient Ethernet. His research has contributed to Ecma and IEEE standards and to EPA Energy Star specifications. The work has been funded by NSF, KETI, Cisco and Google. He has graduated 25 master's students and eight doctoral students. Six of his Ph.D. graduates have gone on to tenure-track faculty positions at universities in the United States and Latin America. Christensen received his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from North Carolina State University in 1991, his master's degree from North Carolina State University in 1983, and his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida in 1981. From 1983 to 1995, he worked at IBM Research Triangle. Since 1995, he has been a faculty member at USF. Christensen has more than 100 journal and conference publications and 13 U.S. patents. He is an ABET EAC program evaluator, a licensed Professional Engineer, a Life Senior Member of IEEE, and a member of ACM and ASEE.

Research Interests

  • Energy-efficient computing and communications systems
  • Communications for improving the storage, distribution, and use of energy in small grids

Teaching Interests

  • Computer Networks (CNT 4004)
  • Senior Project Capstone Design (CIS 4910)
  • Computer Network Essentials (CNT 5008)

Education

  • Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, 1991
  • M.S., Electrical Engineering, North Carolina State University, 1983
  • B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Florida, 1981

Honors and Awards

  • College of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Engineering Educators (2018 to 2021)
  • USF Kosove Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and Service Award (2017)
  • USF Excellence in Innovation Award (2009)
  • USF Charter Member of Academy of Inventors (2009)
  • USF Outstanding Dissertation Prize (chair for H. Fujinoki), (2001)
  • USF Outstanding Master's Thesis Prize (chair for A. Solleti) (2001)
  • NSF CAREER Award (1999)
  • ASEE/NASA Summer Faculty Fellowship at NASA-KSC (1998 and 1999)
  • USF Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award (1997)

Key Activities

  • ABET EAC Program Evaluator ent
  • Member of ACM Committee on Professional Ethics (COPE)
  • Founding member and current President of The Pledge of the Computing Professional. (founded in 2011 with 15 member institutions, current membership of 80 institutions).
  • Advisory Board member for Wiley International Journal of Network Management