Professor Kathleen Richardson Awarded Highest Honor from International Commission on Glass
The ICG President’s Award recognizes outstanding lifetime achievements in the field
CREOL Professor Kathleen Richardson was awarded the 2025 International Commission on Glass (ICG) President’s Award – an honor that recognizes her expertise and lifetime contributions to the field of glass synthesis and characterization.
The ICG says the award is given once every three years, recognizing “outstanding lifetime contributions to the international glass community in areas such as scientific discoveries, engineering developments, artistic accomplishments leadership and communications.”
The non-profit ICG is made up of 33 national organizations. The President’s Award is the society’s highest level of distinction.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized by my international peers for this tremendous honor,” Richardson says.
Richardson is a UCF Trustee Chair and Pegasus Professor of Optics and Materials Science and Engineering. She runs the Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory, where she and her team design, synthesize, and characterize novel glass, glass ceramic, and ceramic materials for optical applications. Richardson and her colleagues recently published a study detailing self-healing capabilities of a specialized chalcogenide glass.
Richardson serves on the ICG’s Advisory Committee. She earned her bachelor’s degree in ceramic engineering and her master’s and doctoral degrees in glass science from Alfred University, where she also sits on the board of trustees. She has been at UCF for a cumulative 26 years.