Artem Rudenko named University Distinguished Professor

By Abbigail Marshall

Division of Communications and Marketing

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Artem Rudenko, professor in the Department of Physics and director of the James. R. Macdonald Laboratory, has received the lifetime distinction of University Distinguished Professor — Kansas State University's highest academic title.

Rudenko's work is driven by the fundamental processes that shape the world around us. Looking into how light interacts with matter and how matter transforms at the smallest scales, his research uses advanced laser technology to observe how individual atoms move during chemical reactions as they break, form or rearrange molecular bonds.

Through these "molecular movies," Rudenko's research can help inform advancements in a variety of technologies, including energy storage, drug design and materials science.

"Molecules are tiny, and their reactions are incredibly fast. What we are doing is often called ultrafast science because of the time scale," Rudenko said. "The typical times we're dealing with are millionths of billionths of a second, so we use our lasers as a kind of super-fast stopwatch."

Through his position at the James R. Macdonald Laboratory, he leads a large team of students, faculty and postdoctoral researchers working in physical chemistry and atomic, molecular and optical physics. The lab, mainly funded by the Department of Energy, prioritizes collaborative work involving both experiment and theory, and emphasizes interdisciplinary research, broadening and strengthening its research capacity.

"For many things, we're leading the field, not following it," Rudenko said. "As a team, we've developed new techniques and driven what's probably the most elaborate filming of ultrafast molecular movies."

Rudenko's work has also helped secure additional research funding, including major grants from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation.

Alongside his research leadership, Rudenko is deeply engaged in the classroom, teaching undergraduate, graduate and service-level courses in physics. Through his commitment to his field, he has received multiple national and university accolades, including being named a 2023 fellow of the American Physical Society.

"To receive the title of University Distinguished Professor is a great honor," said Rudenko. "It is a big distinction career-wise, and I look forward to continuing to advance my field and K-State."

Read the collective announcement for the 2026 UDPs