Kathleen A. Richardson, PhD

Kathleen Richardson, Ph.D., is director of the advanced materials focus area of the Restoration Institute, and serves as director and full professor of the School of Materials Science and Engineering.  She joined the university in January 2005 and oversees a wide array of projects in the field of materials science.  She currently runs the Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory (GPCL) within the Center for Optical Materials Science Engineering and Technology (COMSET) at Clemson. 

Prior to joining Clemson, Dr. Richardson was Associate Professor of Optics, Chemistry and Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida. In the private sector, Dr. Richardson was Manager of Materials Development and Technologies groups at SCHOTT North America-Regional R&D, in Duryea PA. Before joining UCF in 1992 and  SCHOTT, Richardson was at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics where she conducted research on glass, crystal-based optics and sol gel-derived materials.

Dr. Richardson is an internationally known visiting professor and scientist in the field of optical materials research. She is past-Chair of the Glass and Optical Materials Division of the American Ceramic Societies and the President-elect of the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers (NICE).  She is widely published in numerous professional journals such Optical Materials, Materials Research Bulletin, Quantum Electronics, Materials Characterization and Optics Express.

Dr. Richardson earned her B.S. in Ceramic Engineering from Alfred University in 1982.  She later received her M.Sc. in Glass Science and Ph.D. in Ceramics also from Alfred University in 1988 and 1992 respectively, and now sits on the university's Board of Trustees. 

Dr. Richardson holds three patents in optical devices, methods and related apparatus.

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