Biography
Dr. Christensen is globally recognized as one of the nation’s key leaders in mapping photonic technology onto applications used for national security. In 2007, DARPA identified Dr. Christensen as a “rising star in microsystems research” for his development of an adaptive multi-resolution imaging architecture, and selected him to be one of the first of the 24 DARPA Young Faculty Award recipients.
From 1991-1998 he was a staff member and technical leader in BDM’s Sensors and Photonics group (now part of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems). His work ranged from developing optical signal processing and VCSEL-based optical interconnection architectures, to infrared sensor modeling, simulation, and analysis. In 1997, he co-founded Applied Photonics: a free-space optical interconnection module company. His responsibilities included hardware demonstration for the DARPA MTO FAST-Net, VIVACE, and ACTIVE-EYES programs, each of which incorporated precision optics, micro-optoelectronic arrays, and micro-mechanical arrays into large system level demonstrations.
In 2002 he joined Southern Methodist University where he rose through the ranks and served as the Department Chair of Electrical Engineering and Dean of the Lyle School of Engineering. In 2010, he was selected as the inaugural Bobby B. Lyle Professor of Engineering Innovation. Dr. Christensen’s research in photonics has focused on solutions using light to transmit, process, and sense information.