Associate Vice Provost, Undergraduate Studies
Director, Residential Learning Communities
Philip Kesten, Associate Professor of Physics, is the Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Dr. Kesten earned his B.S. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and received his Ph.D. in High Energy Particle Physics from the University of Michigan. Dr. Kesten was a member of the experimental collaboration at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory that announced the discovery of the top quark in 1994.
Since joining the Santa Clara faculty in 1990 Dr. Kesten has served as Chair of Physics, Faculty Director of the ATOM and da Vinci Residential Learning Communities, Associate Provost for the Residential Learning Communities Program, and Director of the Ricard Memorial Observatory. He has received Santa Clara University’s highest awards for teaching excellence, curriculum innovation, and student advising, including the 1999 David E. Logothetti Teaching Award, the 2006 Louis and Dorina Brutocao Award for Teaching Excellence, and the 2009 Dr. John B. Drahmann Advising Award. Dr. Kesten was Santa Clara’s Faculty Development Professor for 20042005, and was named the California Professor of the Year in 2005 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education. Dr. Kesten holds two US patents, and has published two internationally acclaimed physics textbooks. Dr. Kesten has also served as the Senior Editor for Modern Dad, a newsstand magazine, and was co-founder of the Internet software company Docutek, a SirsiDynix Company.
(408) 554-4311
pkesten@scu.edu