Rate My Professor Kenneth Nicholson

Kenneth Nicholson serves as Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences at Northeastern Illinois University. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan. His research focuses on environmental chemistry and surface analytical chemistry. Nicholson utilizes scanning probe microscopy to study red-light photoreceptors, particularly bacteriophytochromes, examining their environmental response characteristics. This includes investigations into the molecular structure and fluorescence emission quantum yield of wild-type and engineered mutants. Additionally, his work involves identifying and quantifying petroleum-based pollutants and additives in natural water systems, analyzing their transport, and developing remediation methods through field work, on-site analysis, and laboratory experiments, especially chromatography.

Nicholson's publications reflect his contributions to surface science and environmental analysis. Key works include “Domain Structure of a Unique Bacterial Red Light Photoreceptor as Revealed by Atomic Force Microscopy” by Sorenson, Westcott, Sakols, Thomas, Anderson, Stojkovic, Tsonchev, and Nicholson (MRS Proceedings, Vol. 1652, 2014); “Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using Peak-Force Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping” by Kroeger, Sorenson, Thomas, Stojkovic, Tsonchev, and Nicholson (Journal of Visualized Experiments, corresponding author); “Scanning Probe Microscopy of Bacterial Red-Light Photoreceptors” by Tobias, Gawedzka, Goldmeier, Sakols, Stojkovic, Tsonchev, and Nicholson (MRS Online Proceedings, Vol. 1465, 2012); “The Preparation of World-Class Single Crystal Silicon Carbide Wafers Using High Rate Chemical Mechanical Planarization Slurries” by White, Reggie, Naguib, Nicholson, Gilliland, and Walters (Materials Science Forum Vols. 600-603, 2009); and “Spatially Anisotropic Etching of Graphite by Hyperthermal Atomic Oxygen” by Nicholson, Minton, and Sibener (Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2005, 82 citations). Earlier publications cover silsesquioxane clusters on gold and graphite etching, such as “Formation of alkylsilane-based monolayers on gold” (Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2002, 69 citations) and “Temperature-dependent morphological evolution of HOPG graphite upon exposure to hyperthermal O (3P) atoms” (Progress in Organic Coatings, 2003, 44 citations). As department chair, he oversees the Chemistry program preparing students for industry, environmental careers, and graduate study.