Webinar Description
Hosted by: The American Ceramic Society
Monday, June 22, 2026, from 12–1 p.m. Eastern Time
This June 2026 webinar, moderated by ACerS President Mario Affatigato, will feature four panelists across areas of glass and ceramics research as they discuss the current state of science funding opportunities in the U.S., share their personal experiences, and provide insight on how researchers can pursue funding for their projects moving forward.
Registration
- ACerS member: Free
- Non-member: $30
- Student non-member: $15
Register for the Resilience of US Research Webinar here
Please contact Amanda Engen at aengen@ceramics.org for questions.
Speaker Biographies
Moderator: ACerS President 2025–2026, Mario Affatigato
Mario Affatigato, Coe College, FACerS
Prof. Affatigato holds the Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professorship at Coe College and is the editor in chief of the International Journal of Applied Glass Science. He earned his undergraduate degree from Coe College and his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University.
Prof. Affatigato is a past recipient of the APS Prize for Research at an Undergraduate Institution, a PECASE award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), as well as other research grants from industry, NSF and the Research Corporation in support of his work. He is a fellow of the American Ceramic Society (FACerS) and the UK Society of Glass Technology, as well as a Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar. He is currently the ACerS President (2025–2026).
Panelists: John Ballato, Geoff Brennecka, Gabrielle Gaustad, and Kathleen Richardson
John Ballato, Clemson University, FACerS
Ballato holds the J. E. Sirrine Endowed Chair in Optical Fiber and is a professor of materials science and engineering. He earned a B.S. in ceramic science and engineering and a Ph.D. in ceramic and materials engineering from Rutgers University.
Under his leadership, the Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies COMSET was formed at Clemson in 2000. Over the 14 years he directed COMSET, the center grew to 40 faculty members and subsequently attracted nearly $100 million in research support.
Ballato subsequently served as Clemson’s vice president for research and as vice president for economic development where, in this latter position, he was responsible for university–industry relations and business development as well as multiple innovation campuses representing, at that time, over $750M of public and private investments. Ballato’s research has garnered over $80M in extramural support. He has published over 600 technical papers and holds 40 U.S. and foreign patents.
Geoff Brennecka, Colorado School of Mines, FACerS
Brennecka is the George S. Ansell Chair of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and metallurgical and materials engineering department head at Colorado School of Mines. Brennecka holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and B.S. and M.S. degrees in ceramic engineering from University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology).
Before joining Mines, he was on staff at Sandia National Laboratories, working in the electronic, optical and nanostructured materials department. He has held several leadership positions in ACerS, including serving on the board of directors for both ACerS and the Ceramic and Glass Industry Foundation, as editor of Journal of the American Ceramic Society, and as chair of the ACerS Electronics Division.
Gabrielle Gaustad, Alfred University
Gaustad is the dean of the Inamori School of Engineering at Alfred University as well as the vice president for statutory affairs of the New York State College of Ceramics. For ten years prior, she was an associate professor in the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Gaustad earned a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in ceramic engineering from Alfred University.
Gaustad has managed over $8M in externally sponsored research as PI and an additional $20M as co-PI, SP, or principal facilitator. She has a personal passion for attracting underrepresented students to the engineering field as well as curricular innovation.
Kathleen Richardson, University of Central Florida, FACerS
Kathleen A. Richardson is the UCF Trustee Chair, Pegasus Professor of Optics and Materials Science and Engineering and Florida Photonics Center of Excellence (FPCE) Professor at CREOL/College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida, where she runs the Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory. She earned her B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in ceramics and glass science and engineering from Alfred University.
A fellow of multiple optics (Optica, SPIE), glass (Society of Glass Technology, SGT) and ceramic (American Ceramic Society, ACerS) and European (European Ceramic Society, ECerS) professional organizations, Richardson has authored more than 310 peer-reviewed publications, numerous proceedings and book chapters, and hosts a broad portfolio of IP related to these advances.
