The Pegasus Professor Award is the most prestigious honor the university gives to a faculty member. The award, which was first given out in 2000, recognizes sustained excellence in teaching, research and service.

From UCF Today: Martin Richardson, director of the Townes Laser Institute and a professor of optics, began working at the university in 1990 when he co-established UCF’s Laser Plasma Laboratory at CREOL, the Center of Research in Electro-Optics & Lasers.

In 2003, he was appointed the Northrop Grumman Professor of X-ray Photonics, and in 2007 was named the founding director of the laser institute.

Richardson has published more than 400 articles in professional journals, holds 20 patents with several pending, and has chaired many international conferences in addition to being a former associate editor of JQE (Journal of Quantum Electronics), a recipient of the Schardin Medal, and a Fellow of the Optical Society of America.

“Dr. Richardson is a world-class leader in the area of lasers with a strong commitment to research, education, and partnership,” said Bahaa Saleh, dean of the College of Optics and Photonics. “He has received an impressive amount of funding from government and industry sources for research on a wide variety of laser applications, and has mentored a large number of students who now hold high positions in industry. His extensive connections and partnerships with many international institutions bring to UCF great visibility and recognition.”
Posted Wednesday, April 4, 2012