Kathleen A. Richardson. Kathleen Ann Cerqua-Richardson is an American physicist and the Pegasus Professor of Optics & Photonics, Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Central Florida. She is a Fellow of SPIE, the American Ceramic Society and The Optical Society. Her research considers the synthesis and characterisation of novel glasses and ceramic materials.

Early life and education 
Richardson was born in Rochester, New York. Her parents were both self-employed, and she was supported by scholarships to attend college. At the time Kodak was based in Rochester, and Richardson grew up thinking that she might work in optics. As a child she took part in a boy scouts explorer club in optics that met every week at Kodak Park. Richardson studied ceramic engineering at New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. After earning her bachelor's degree in 1982 she joined the University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics where she spent four years as an optical engineer. She returned to Alfred University for her graduate studies. Richardson started lecturing at Alfred University immediately after completing her master's degree. She earned her doctorate in 1992, and joined the Naval Air Defence Laboratory in California.

Research and career 
When Richardson realised that the Naval Air Defence Laboratory did not have the facilities to support her research work, she moved to the University of Central Florida College of Optics and Photonics. Richardson works on the science of optical glass, and novel materials for gradient refractive index optics. She moved to Clemson University as Director of Materials Science and Engineering in 2004, before returning to the University of Central Florida in 2012. In 2014 Richardson was made president of the American Ceramic Society.

The citation for her SPIE Maria J. Yzuel Outstanding Educator Award read, “It is important to note that education has been an integral part of Kathleen Richardson's professional career from the beginning, starting with her own PhD time ... She started lecturing at Alfred University immediately after finishing her master's degree and, soon after that, began teaching her short course series for SPIE and other international meetings and summer schools ... Throughout her career she has demonstrated a passion for optics education and has been a leader and role model in that arena,”.

Awards and honours 

 2008 Elected Fellow of SPIE
 2010 Elected Fellow of The Optical Society
 2017 European Ceramic Society Sir Richard Brooks International Award
 2017 American Ceramic Society George W. Morey award
 2017 Rutgers University  Malcolm G. McClaren Distinguished Award 
 2019 American Ceramic Society Arthur L. Friedberg Award
 2019 Elected Fellow of the European Ceramic Society
 2020 American Ceramic Society Greaves-Walker Award
 2020 SPIE Maria J. Yzuel Outstanding Educator Award

Selected publications

Personal life 
Richardson is married with two children.

References

Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American optical engineers
Women in optics
21st-century American physicists
21st-century women physicists
Scientists from Rochester, New York
Fellows of Optica (society)
Fellows of the American Ceramic Society
Fellows of SPIE
New York State College of Ceramics alumni
Alfred University faculty
University of Central Florida faculty
Clemson University faculty
Scientists from South Carolina