Dr. Marina R. Pascucci earned her B.S. in Ceramic Science and her B.A. in Chemistry from Alfred University, and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Ceramics/Materials Science from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to joining CeraNova Corporation in 1997, Dr. Pascucci was an Assistant Professor of Materials Science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA (1992-1997).  She also has 10 years of industrial research experience as a Senior Member of Technical Staff at GTE Laboratories, Waltham, MA (1985-1992) and as a Research Scientist at Battelle Laboratories in Columbus, OH (1983-1985).

She is co-author of approximately 30 papers on processing, characterization, and applications of advanced ceramics including transparent polycrystalline ceramics, piezoelectric ceramics, and ceramic/ceramic composites, and on radiation damage in a-quartz.  She holds three patents in the area of transparent polycrystalline ceramics (2 US and 1 European), which is currently her primary field of research and development.  At CeraNova since 1997, she is Director of Government Programs and Contracting and is responsible for business development, customer relations, and program management for the Department of Defense and other U.S. government clients. Pascucci has managed numerous projects funded by the U.S. Department of Defense with a combined total funding of over $ 20M.  In June 2002, Dr. Pascucci received the Alfred University Career Achievement Award presented by the Alfred University Alumni Association.  In November 2007, she was one of five invited female speakers at the International Workshop for Women Ceramists held in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of Korean Ceramic Society in Seoul, South Korea. Pascucci was an invited speaker at the opening of the Inamori Fine Ceramics Museum at Alfred University in 2011, and later that same year at the Judson Leadership Center at part of their “Women of Influence” series.  In 2014, she gave a keynote talk promoting diversity in the workplace at an ASME Conference in Boston.  More recently, her career profile was included in “Successful Women Ceramic & Glass Scientists & Engineers – 100 Inspirational Profiles” published by Lynnette Madsen in 2016.

Pascucci has been a member of The American Ceramic Society for over 40 years, and is currently affiliated with the Basic Science Division, the Engineering Ceramics Division, the Manufacturing Division, and NICE.  She is a past chair of the New England Section (1989), and also has held officer positions in the Central Ohio Section (Secretary 1984, Treasurer 1985).  In 1992, the New England Section awarded her its F.H. Norton Distinguished Ceramist Award. She recently (2016) assumed the role of Counselor to the New England Section.  She has served on a number of ACerS Committees including Publications (1993-97, chair 1997), Honorary Members (1998-2002, chair 2002), Nominating (2001-2003 and 2015-2017), and Ross Coffin Purdy Award (2002-06, chair 2006).  In 1996-97, Pascucci was Vice President for Publications, and served concomitantly as a voting member of the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees.  She was a member of the Bulletin Task Force (2003) and later the Future Bulletin Committee (2005) both of which reported to the BOD regarding changes in the mission and content of the Bulletin.  More recently, she served on the ACerS Board of Directors (2004-2007), and as the Society’s President (2010-2011). She also worked on the Finance Committee (2005-2007) and was a member of the Meetings / Programming Committee (2007-2010).   Pascucci has participated on several panels at ACerS Young Professionals Workshops, was a Keramos Career Speaker (2012), and an invited speaker at the MS&T Emerging Professionals Symposium (2013).  

Pascucci became a Fellow of the Society in 1999.