about me


My name is Kevin Davenport and apparently, I have a blog.

I have been floating around the Sun on this rock since 1978.  During that time, I’ve developed a wide range of interests…everything, really.  In another life, I was a freelance designer and taught computer animation.  I decided to take a hard left from that world and studied experimental condensed matter physics at the University of Utah; I received my Ph.D in 2019 and I am now an Assistant Lecture Professor at that same institution where I mainly focus on teaching large-format introductory courses.  Mathematics and physics have always been fascinating to me and, believe it or not, a large part of my design work.  But, I really wanted to take it all the way.  My current work focuses on the study of the electronic transport properties of materials, in particular organic materials used to create light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic cells.

My wife and I live in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is a pretty great place, actually.  I’ve traveled enough to know that everywhere is interesting and sucks in the same amount, just in different ways.  I enjoy this city and the nature surrounding it.  You can truly experience every climate on Earth in our state…often all in the same day.

I love to read books and have waaaaaaay more than any one person should have.  I also love playing games, analog and digital, and I’m of the firm belief that if you truly want to know a person, you should play a game with them.  I love music, particularly electronic music and classical music, and I play a variety of instruments, most notably the piano.

I am very active in my local science outreach community.  I worked with the NSF-funded STEM Ambassador Program (more information about that in on the Links page) and a group of game designers to turn my research into a board game.  I’ve also had the opportunity to speak about my research, and science in general, to groups at the Utah Museum of Natural History, as well as to a large group of incarcerated men at our prison.  This blog is really an extension of that impulse to communicate science to whoever will listen.

I had the opportunity to work as a science journalist for The Idaho Statesmen, one of the major newspapers in Idaho, as part of the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media in Science and Engineering Fellowship.  it was an amazing experience that continues to effect my life in profound ways.  You can check out my AAAS profile here.

I also love design, industrial design and typography in particular.  I’m fascinated by the visual architecture of information and what makes for effective communication of ideas in all forms.  Having studied both science and design for a long time has shown me that there is very little difference between the two.  The “scientific method” and the “principles of design” mirror each other very closely.

So, that’s me…I guess.  Who can really sum themselves up in a couple of paragraphs?  If you want to know more, read my posts.  Then you’ll know who I really am…