Van Vliet obtained a Bachelor of Science in physics and mathematics, in 1949,, Amsterdam. Then from the same university Van Vliet obtained an Master of Arts in physics, in 1953, and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1956 for a thesis entitled Current Fluctuations in Semiconductors and Photoconductors, under Gerardus J. Sizoo.
She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (Australian Psychological Society ) and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). As a teeneager Van Vliet lived for 5 years in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. The name change from "K. M. van Vliet" to "C. M. Van Vliet" occurred in 1982.
Van Vliet was first a Teaching Assistant (1949–1953) at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, then a Nevada Philips Research Fellow (1953–1956) at the same university.
This was followed by an appointment as a Fulbright Fellow, at the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Minnesota (1956–1957), rising to assistant professor there. During 1958-1960, Van Vliet was appointed as "Conservator" in the Department of Physics at the Vrije Universiteit and then was appointed at the University of Minnesota (1960–1970) rising to professor
In 1969-1995, Van Vliet was Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Centre de Recherches Mathématiques of the Université de Montréal, then, during 1992-2000, became Professor at Florida International University in Miami. Currently she is an adjunct Professor of Physics at the University of Miami.
K. K. K. R.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
