DATE: October 16, 2008
CONTACT:
Kathleen Richardson, 864-656-0549
richar3@clemson.edu
WRITER:
Susan Polowczuk, 864-656-2063
spolowc@clemson.edu
School of Materials Science and Engineering Director elected to ACerS Board
CLEMSON — Kathleen Richardson, director of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson University, has been elected to the board of directors of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS).
Founded in 1898, ACerS serves the informational, educational and professional needs of the international ceramics community. More than 6,000 scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, students and marketing and sales professionals from more than 60 countries are members of the organization.
Richardson joined Clemson in January 2005 and runs the Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory in the Center for Optical Materials Science Engineering and Technology (COMSET) at Clemson. Her team carries out synthesis and characterization of novel glass and glass ceramic materials for optical applications. She previously held a post as associate professor of optics, chemistry and mechanical, materials and aerospace engineering at the University of Central Florida's College of Optics and Photonics.
In addition to being a Fellow of ACerS, Richardson is a Fellow of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers and the Society of Glass Technology (UK), recognized for her outstanding contributions to the field of optics, electro-optics and related scientific, technical and engineering areas. She is known for her technical contributions in understanding the properties and performance of infrared glass and other optical materials. She also has a longstanding commitment to optical science and engineering education, especially through her efforts with K-12 and undergraduate student research through the numerous National Science Foundation-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs she has been affiliated with.
Richardson is a past chairwoman of the Glass and Optical Materials Division of the American Ceramic Society, and currently serves on advisory boards of numerous organizations, including Virginia Tech’s Materials Science and Engineering Department, the National Science Foundations Energy Research Centers on Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and the Environment at Princeton University and as part of the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Ultrahigh-bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems in Sydney, Australia.
She graduated from Alfred University with a bachelor of science degree in ceramic engineering in 1982, a master of science degree in glass science in 1988 and a Ph.D. in ceramics in 1992.
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