ACerS is pleased to announce Kathleen Richardson and Mario Affatigato have been selected for Volunteer Spotlight, a program that recognizes a member who demonstrates outstanding service to The American Ceramic Society through volunteerism.
Richardson and Affatigato’s enthusiasm and assistance were key to the success of the recent National Day of Glass, held April 5–7, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Thanks to their involvement, ACerS was able to convene leaders in the glass industry, the art community, government agencies, and academia.
Kathleen Richardson
“Working on the National Day of Glass has been a labor of love. Bringing together so many leaders from diverse backgrounds to highlight past successes, but equally important, new strategies to solve current and next generation problems through innovation, was perhaps the most meaningful aspect of the NDoG.”
– Kathleen Richardson, National Day of Glass Convening Chair
Richardson is Pegasus Professor of Optics and Materials Science and Engineering and the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence Professor at CREOL/College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida. Richardson and her research team carry out design, synthesis, and characterization of novel glass and glass-ceramic materials for optical applications, examining the role of structure–property relationships on resulting optical function and performance in bulk, planar, and fiber optical materials.
Richardson has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications as well as numerous proceedings and book chapters. Richardson was part of the global team who led the successful petition to the United Nations that resulted in the declaration of 2022 as the International Year of Glass.
She currently holds the rank of Fellow in ACerS, the UK Society of Glass Technology, SPIE, and Optica/Optical Society of America, as well as an honorary fellowship from the European Ceramic Society. Since 2006, she has served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Alfred University.
Mario Affatigato
“Working on the National Day of Glass was an exceptional experience. Watching multiple glass communities come together and interact in ways that have never happened before was very fulfilling. This interaction creates a wonderful opportunity for ACerS going forward and follows the spirit of the United Nations International Year of Glass.”
– Mario Affatigato, National Day of Glass Program Chair
Affatigato obtained his undergraduate degree from Coe College in 1989, followed by his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1995. Affatigato is a past recipient of the APS Prize for Research at an Undergraduate Institution, a PECASE award from the National Science Foundation, and other research grants from industry, NSF, and the Research Corporation in support of his work.
He is a fellow of ACerS, the UK Society of Glass Technology, and a Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar. He holds the Fran Allison and Francis Halpin Professorship at Coe College, is editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Applied Glass Science, and recently completed his term on ACerS Board of Directors.
We extend our deep appreciation to Richardson and Affatigato for their service to our Society!