Irene Peterson is a Principal Research Scientist in the Process Research Directorate at Corning Research and Development Corporation in Corning, New York. She received a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor as a student of  Professor Tseng-Ying Tien. After graduation, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher under Dr. Brian Lawn at the National Institute of Standards and Technology before joining Corning.

Irene joined Corning Incorporated in 1999. She studies the kinetics of phase reactions in ceramic materials, invents and scales up new products and processes, and provides technical support to glass production plants in the United States, Europe and Asia. She received the President’s Outstanding Belt Award for advancing innovation effectiveness from Corning Incorporated in 2010, and an Excellence in Volunteerism Award from the Corning Foundation in 2021. She is a member of the External Advisory Board for the Materials Science and Engineering Department at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.

Irene holds nine patents. She regularly gives talks and organizes sessions at international conferences. She is currently a member of the Manufacturing Division Programming Committee and the ACerS Industry Advisory Group, and is Vice Chair of the Glass and Optical Materials Division.