Kristen Breder

Kristin Breder is a Senior Principal Scientist with Saint-Gobain Research North America, in Northborough, Massachusetts. She received her Master of Science in Physics Engineering at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1977, and in 1987 her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at UMass Amherst.

Kristin joined Saint-Gobain in 2000 and has held a number of positions of increasing seniority. Her work is centered around understanding the behavior of abrasives and the grinding process, in addition to mechanics and failure analysis of ceramics and polymers.

After completing her MS degree, Kristin worked at the Norwegian Building Research Institute from 1978 to 1985 on mechanical properties and environmental durability of building materials, after which she embarked on her PhD.

From 1988 to 1992 Kristin was a Post Doc. at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, where she conducted research on the mechanical properties and microstructures of structural ceramics and ceramic composites. She joined Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1992, rising to Group Leader for the Mechanical Characterization and Analysis Group where the team worked on ceramics, ceramic composites, glasses, coatings, and high temperature metals.

Kristin has published two book chapters, 32 publications in refereed journals, 48 publications in conference proceedings and holds 6 patents. She has been active in ASTM C28 Committee and in 2006 received the C28 Advanced Ceramics Award. In 1995 she was named Distinguished Young Alumna for Professional Service, UMass Amherst.

A member of the American Ceramic Society since 1985 and affiliated with the Engineering Ceramic and Basic Science Division; she is currently on the Board of Directors and has previously been chair of the Membership Services committee. From 2004 to 2006 she was an associate editor of the International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology (IJACT); she continues to be a reviewer for both IJACT and J.Am. Cer. Soc.