BIO KORN 2005
Becoming a Christian at the age of fourteen has been the most important change in my life. I grew up in a family of six in West-Germany in the greater Cologne area. Having heard about
Jesus for many years as a young boy, I came to the point where I finally had to make a decision based on all the information I had received - Jesus says, ‘ I am the bread of life; he who comes to
me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst.
’ (Gospel of John Chapter 6,
Verse 35) - and I invited Jesus into my life and asked HIM to control it. Since then I have had my ups and downs, but Christ has always been faithful to me.
After studying chemistry in Freiburg (Germany), where I also met my wife, we moved to
Pittsburgh, PA where I worked for a chemical company. Two years later, we moved to Chapel
Hill, NC where I engaged in research as a postdoc at UNC for about 3 years. In 1999 I became
Assistant Professor at Texas State University, San Marcos, TX. From August 2004 until June
2005 we lived in Entebbe, Uganda where my wife helped teaching in a missionary school. This has been one of the most rewarding times in our lives (so far!) - for us as well as for our three children. In August 2005 I will join the Department of Chemistry & Physics at LeTourneau
University to help strengthen the organic section of the department.
Besides chemistry, I enjoy nature and taking close-ups of flowers which reveal the amazing complexity, beauty, and order designed by our Creator.
It is my desire to help you spiritually and academically – and I invite you to stop by or e-mail me with any questions you may have.
Education
University of Freiburg, Germany . Institute for Macromolecular Chemistry. Ph.D. 1994 ( cum laude )
Dissertation ( magna cum laude ): “ Synthesis and Characterization of Superstructure-Forming Polyhydroxyethers ”.
University of Freiburg, Germany . Diploma 1989.
Thesis: “ Characterization and Rheological Investigation of a Liquid Crystalline Copolyester ”.
Work and Research Experience
2004 – 2005 Wycliffe Associates Volunteer , SIL, Entebbe, Uganda.
1999 – 2004 Assistant Professor , (Southwest) Texas State University, San Marcos, TX.
1996 – 1999 Postdoctoral Fellow , Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Advisor: Professor Michel Gagné.
Research : (Poly)carbonates, (poly)esters, catalysis, block copolymers, living free radical polymerization.
1994 – 1996 Industrial Postdoctoral Graduate Scholar , Bayer Corporation, Corporate Polymer Research,
Pittsburgh, PA. Research : Polycarbonate-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymers; reactive processing; transesterification catalysis.
Honors
Favorite Professor, 2002 ( Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Southwest Texas State University Chapter).
Memberships
The American Chemical Society.
Publications

Journals
1. Korn, M. R.; Gagné, M. R. “Simultaneous atom transfer and nitroxide mediated controlled free radical polymerization of styrene”, Chem. Commun . 2000 , 32 , 1711-1712.
2. Korn, M. R.; Lennon J. D.; Glish, G. L.; Gagné, M. R. “ α,ω-Hetero-Telechelic Poly(ε-caprolactone)s via Ring-
Opening/Chain Transfer Polymerization and Their Utility as Precursors to AB and ABC Block Copolymers ”,
Macromolecules , 1999 , 32 , 5149-5153.
3. Korn, M. R.; Gagné, M. R. “ Convenient Depolymerization Route to Telechelic Polycarbonate Oligomers ”,
Macromolecules 1998 , 31 , 4023-4026.
4. Schneider, H. A.; Stocker, W.; Korn, M.; Kricheldorf, H. R.; Percec, V. “ Mechanical dynamic studies of mainchain liquid crystalline polyesters and polyethers ”, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst . 1991 , 196 , 57-69.
Books
1. Brunelle, D. and Korn, M. (eds) Advances in Polycarbonates, ACS Symposium Series 898, Oxford University
Press 2005 ; chapters therein: Korn, M. End-functionalized Poly(bisphenolA)carbonate Oligomers Part I: Synthesis and Examples; chapter 4, p. Part II: Characterization via UV-vis, FTIR, GPC, NMR and DSC; chapter 5, p. Part
III: Characterization via HPLC and Mass Spectrometry, chapter 6, p. .
Patents
1. Gagné, M. R.; Korn, M. R. “Catalysts for Ester Metathesis”, US Patent 6,143,801 ( 2000 ).
Poster Presentations
1. Foytik, C. D. and Korn, M. R. “ Low-generation dendritic mesogenic disc-rod hybrids ”, 225th ACS National
Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 23-27, 2003. Polym. Prepr . 2003 , 44(1).
2. Korn, M. R. and Gagné, M. R. “ Simultaneous and subsequent NMRP and ATRP polymerization of styrene and
α,ω-hetero-functionalized PCL for the synthesis of PS-PCL-PS block copolymers ”; 221 st National Meeting of the
American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA; April 1-5, 2001. PMSE 2001 , 84 , 611-612.
3. Korn, M. R. “ Combined disc-like/rod-like mesogens and their supramolecular order ”; 14 th Biennial C.S. Marvel
Symposium, Tuscon, AZ, March 11-13, 2001 .
4. Korn, M. R.; Mills, W. Y.; Gagné, M. R. “ A new route to telechelic polyesters and their conversion into novel block copolymers ”; 113 th North Carolina Local Section Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chapel Hill,
NC, 1999 .
5. Korn, M. R.; Mills, W. Y.; Gagné, M. R. “ Poly(bisphenol A carbonate) terminally branched with poly(vinyl monomers)
”; 50 th Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Raleigh, NC, 1998 .
6. Korn, M. R.; Gagné, M. R. “ A depolymerization/controlled radical polymerization approach towards telechelic poly(bisphenol A carbonates) and block-copolymers thereof ”; and “ Ring-opening polymerization/chain transfer of
ε-caprolactone to functionalized PCL as precursors for PCL-PS and PCL-PS-PMMA block copolymers ”; Gordon
Research Conference, Polymers (East) Henniker, NH, 1998 .
7. Korn, M. R.; Gagné, M. R. “ A novel route to polyesters by alkali alkoxide mediated ester metathesis ”; Southeast
Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Roanoke, VA 1997 .
8. Korn, M. R.; Jonsson, E. H.; Kumpf, R. J. “Formation of a PDMS modified PC via reactive processing in a kneader”; Fall 1997 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Las Vegas, NE, 1996. Polym. Prepr .
1997 , 38(2) , 464-465.
Research Interests
Low generation dendrimers; form-stability of dendrimers; liquid crystals; drug-release systems; dyes in plants.