Alexei P. Sokolov

Dr. Alexei P. Sokolov is a Professor of Chemistry and Physics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, holding the Governor’s Chair. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Georgia Tech’s School of Materials Science and Engineering. His research focuses on dynamics of soft materials, biological macromolecules, and nano-optics. Sokolov earned his M.S. from Novosibirsk State University (1981), PhD from the USSR Academy of Sciences (1986), and Habilitation from the Russian Academy of Sciences (1994). He has held prestigious fellowships at the Humboldt and Max-Planck Institutes before joining the University of Akron as an Assistant Professor in 1998, later becoming a Full Professor and Thomas A. Knowles Professor of Polymer Science. His work spans experimental studies in glass transition, polymer dynamics, and nano-structured materials. Sokolov leads a lab equipped with advanced spectroscopy tools (Raman, Brillouin, dielectric) and collaborates with Oak Ridge National Lab. His awards include the Governor’s Chair and recognition for contributions to soft matter physics. He advises graduate students and postdocs in interdisciplinary research areas.

Research interests include: dynamics of disordered materials, photonics, and nano-optics. His lab develops techniques like scanning nano-Raman spectroscopy for molecular-level imaging. Key projects address polymer dynamics under pressure, protein hydration effects, and nano-composite material design. Recent articles focus on glass transition mechanisms, hydration-driven biological dynamics, and plasmonic structures.

• Awards: Governor’s Chair, Thomas A. Knowles Professor, Humboldt Fellow, Max-Planck Fellow
• Students/Postdocs: Adam Holt, Hong Tao, Sheng Zhao, and others
• Labs: UT’s Sokolov Group and ORNL facilities