CREOL Alumna Clara Rivero Baleine Inducted into Florida Inventors Hall of Fame
CREOL alumna and courtesy faculty member Clara Rivero Baleine (’01, ’03 MS, ’05 PhD) has been named a 2026 inductee into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, recognizing her pioneering contributions to infrared materials and optical technologies.
A Lockheed Martin Fellow, Rivero Baleine was honored for developing gradient refractive index optical materials and metamaterial coatings that have transformed infrared sensing systems for defense and advanced photonics applications.
Driven by a desire to protect people through technological innovation, Rivero Baleine joined Lockheed Martin in 2005 after earning three degrees from UCF in just six years. Today, she continues to lead cutting-edge research in infrared materials and optics while maintaining strong ties to her alma mater.
In addition to her role at Lockheed Martin, Rivero Baleine holds a courtesy faculty appointment at CREOL, serves on the CREOL Dean’s Advisory Board, and is a member of the UCF Materials Science Industrial Advisory Board. A Burnett Honors Scholar, she earned her bachelor’s degree in physics and both her master’s and doctoral degrees in optics from UCF.
She and the other 2026 inductees will be formally recognized during the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame induction ceremony on November 6 in Tampa.
"I am profoundly proud and deeply humbled to be welcomed into such an extraordinary community of inventors and innovators. What inspires me most is knowing that these innovations will become part of systems that protect service members, strengthen national security and expand the capabilities of the platforms we rely on. That sense of purpose continues to drive my work every day."