Presented by the SCHOTT Group and the Ernst Abbe Fund, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to research and technology in glass, glass-ceramics and advanced materials. Richardson shares this year鈥檚 honor with Iowa State University researcher Steve Martin.

Together, their work reflects how advances in material structure can translate into real-world applications across industries including healthcare, energy, electronics and advanced technologies.

A Career of Innovation

Over the course of her career, Richardson has focused on advancing the science of optical materials, helping to expand how glass can be used in increasingly complex and demanding environments.

Her work has contributed to the development of materials that can be precisely engineered for performance, supporting innovations in imaging, sensing and optical systems.

鈥淭his award recognizes a lifetime of investment in know-how, specialized facilities creation and professional development of skilled personnel, which has resulted in unique prototype materials and technology development,鈥� Richardson says. 鈥淭hese efforts have resulted in products that have gone on to be licensed to partners in this critical application space. I am truly honored to be recognized by one of the global leaders in advanced optical materials for our team鈥檚 sustained work in IR materials.鈥�

Advancing Optical Materials

Richardson is recognized for her contributions to the development of optical glasses and infrared materials 鈥� specialized materials that control how light is transmitted and detected.

Her research focuses on designing glass compositions at the atomic level to achieve precise optical properties, enabling high-performance systems for infrared imaging, sensing technologies and advanced optics.

鈥淒r. Richardson鈥檚 sustained career has driven significant advancement in infrared material technologies, laying the foundation for next-generation sensing capabilities,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation at 麻豆原创. 鈥淗er relentless pursuit of discovery in optical and infrared materials illuminates 麻豆原创鈥檚 expanding impact on the frontiers of advanced technologies that continue to shape the future.鈥�

From Fundamental Science to Application

The Otto Schott Research Award highlights the critical connection between fundamental research and industrial application, a hallmark of Richardson鈥檚 work. By advancing how glass materials are engineered and processed, her research helps expand the performance limits of existing materials while opening the door to entirely new classes of optical systems.

These innovations include glasses with improved infrared transmission and tailored properties that support emerging technologies in fields including aerospace, electronics, energy production and medical technologies.聽 Her work has benefited from diverse support ranging from government to industry (local and international) as well as state funding from Florida鈥檚 High Technology Corridor (FHTC) which has provided extensive matching funds that have leveraged state funds to support education and training of several dozen graduate and undergraduate students from the Richardson group, over her career.

Why Infrared Materials Matter

Infrared materials play a critical role in technologies that rely on detecting and transmitting light beyond the visible spectrum. These systems are used in applications ranging from medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring to advanced imaging and sensing technologies.

Unlike conventional optical materials, infrared (IR) glasses must be carefully engineered to maintain transparency and performance under demanding conditions, including extreme temperatures and radiation.聽聽 Their chemistry is difficult requiring specialized facilities unique to 麻豆原创, present in the University鈥檚 Optical Material Laboratory, which houses the Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory (GPCL). 聽As a result, workforce training in such novel optical material science benefits not only local industry, a stronghold in IR optical materials manufacturing and systems, but government agencies as well.

Richardson鈥檚 work focuses on developing glass compositions that meet these challenges while offering greater flexibility than traditional crystalline materials, which are often more expensive and difficult to manufacture.

By enabling more adaptable and scalable materials, her research supports continued advances in imaging systems, sensing technologies and other applications that rely on precise optical performance.

A Global Recognition

The award, endowed with about $29,000, was presented April 13 during the annual meeting at the International Commission on Glass in Lyon, France.

鈥淭he research of Steve Martin and Kathleen Richardson clearly shows how essential a deep understanding of material structures is for technological progress,鈥� says Matthias M眉ller, head of research and development at SCHOTT. 鈥淭hese insights form the basis for developing new glass solutions that perform reliably in real-world applications and expand the boundaries of what is possible.鈥�

Awarded every two years, the Otto Schott Research Award recognizes scientists whose work bridges scientific discovery and practical innovation.

About the Awardee

Richardson is a 麻豆原创 trustee chair and Pegasus Professor of optics and materials science and engineering in CREOL. She is also Director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory (GPCL).

She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in ceramic engineering and her master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in glass science from Alfred University. Richardson has spent more than two decades at 麻豆原创, following earlier work at Clemson University.

In a new study published in the journal , 麻豆原创 College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL) Pegasus Professor Kathleen Richardson and colleagues from Clemson University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studied the incredible self-healing capabilities of a specialized chalcogenide glass after it was exposed to gamma radiation.

Chalcogenide glasses are comprised of chalcogen elements 鈥� sulfur, selenium, and tellurium 鈥� alloyed with elements like germanium or arsenic to create optical glass materials that may be applied to sensors or infrared lenses.

As part of shared research between the universities, Richardson, who is director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory (GPCL), and her co-investigators observed this unique transformation while testing a specific chalcogenide glass made of germanium, antimony and sulfur for use in a satellite鈥檚 circuitry system. When exposed to gamma radiation similar to what may be encountered in space, the glass developed microscopic defects that later were repaired over time in a room temperature environment.

The self-healing glass could be useful in devices or instruments that may be exposed to extreme environments where gamma radiation may be prevalent, such as space or radioactive facilities. The research also provides foundational knowledge of the microscopic origins of the self-healing process for a wider variety of chalcogenide glasses.

For the study, 麻豆原创 researchers measured the quantities of the raw elemental material and fabricated the chalcogenide glass, says Richardson.

The process must be precise, and the 麻豆原创 lab is highly specialized to ensure the glass isn鈥檛 exposed to moisture, oxygen or other contaminants, she says.

鈥淲e put the materials in a furnace where we can melt them into a glassy state,鈥� Richardson says. 鈥淥nce it’s melted, the glass is then broken out of these tubes. This particular program sent the melted glasses to MIT where they made thin films out of these materials.鈥�

The desire to harness this specialized glass for use in infrared systems has risen as traditional materials have become scarce and prohibitively expensive, she says.

鈥淧eople are increasingly looking at glasses that have similar optical transparency to crystals such as germanium that can be engineered for their composition and properties for use in applications where germanium may be used,鈥� Richardson says. 鈥淭hese glasses are seeing more and more use in systems where the community is looking for alternatives to some of the crystalline solutions that have historically been used before.鈥�

These glasses are distinct from conventional glasses, such as in windows or eyeglasses, she says.

鈥淭hese glasses exclude oxygen, and that鈥檚 what makes them special for the infrared,鈥� Richardson says. 鈥淭hese are made of elements on the far-right side of the periodic table. When they bond together, they make very infrared transparent materials but with very large atoms and weak bonds.鈥�

The notion of 鈥渟elf-healing鈥� is derived from the ability of these bonds to be distorted when exposed to radiation, she says.

鈥淏ecause they’re big atoms and weak bonds, over time, these bonds can relax back and reform from this distorted arrangement, and therefore heal,鈥� Richardson says. 鈥淪o, the concept of self-healing glass is that when our experiments get exposed to high energy radiation, these bonds are distorted or broken. Over time, room temperature is enough to heal these bonds so that the structures can reform themselves.鈥�

In addition to the vast network of collaborators, she worked with former 麻豆原创 colleague and research scientist Myungkoo Kang, who analyzed the optical properties of the materials before and after radiation exposure.

Kang, who recently became an assistant professor of ceramic engineering at Alfred University鈥檚 Inamori School of Engineering, was grateful for the experience he gained at 麻豆原创.

鈥淭hrough the training, I became a PI, co-PI, or subcontractor of numerous federally and industrially funded multi-university research programs,鈥� he says. 鈥淓xperiencing such upper-level scholarly activities eventually set me ready to become a faculty, and I embarked on a new academic journey.鈥�

The knowledge gained from this self-healing glass experiment paves the way for future research opportunities to explore the properties and uses for other potentially self-healing chalcogenide glasses, Kang says.

鈥淢oving forward, my new research group aims to develop irradiation-induced novel ceramics along with in-situ microstructural and optical metrology methods as a route toward the realization of ultra-fast lightweight optical platforms,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y research under the unifying theme of irradiation effects in chalcogenide ceramics has yielded such an impactful takeaway.鈥�

Kang likens the materials of chalcogenide glasses he and Richardson study to a 鈥渟oup鈥� where sulfur, selenium and tellurium serves as a base. Germanium, arsenic and antimony are 鈥渟pices鈥� to be blended 鈥� or alloyed 鈥� to adjust the properties of the glass.

The particular glass that Richardson, Kang and the other scientists had concocted and tested proved that its gamma-induced changes and post-gamma recovery are consistent and reproducible, Kang says.

鈥淭his finding strongly indicates that the material system can be deployed as a robust, reversible radiation sensor in extreme environments such as space and ground-based radioactive facilities where gamma ray is characteristically abundant,鈥� he says.

Kang says one of the most gratifying parts of the research 鈥� aside from the promising results 鈥� was the collaboration and coordination across universities.

鈥淪amples were shipped back and forth between various locations, and it would not have been possible without our team members鈥� commitment and passion,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his work is a result of almost five-year-long team effort. I am happy to see that this work finally sees the light of day.鈥�

The research was funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Researchers鈥� Credentials

Richardson is a 麻豆原创 Trustee Chair, Pegasus Professor of Optics and Materials Science in CREOL and director of CREOL鈥檚 GPCL. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in ceramic engineering and her master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in glass science from Alfred University. She has been at 麻豆原创 for a cumulative 25 years, and she spent eight years at Clemson University in 2004 before returning to 麻豆原创 in 2012.

From 2017 to 2023, Kang collaborated with Richardson as a 麻豆原创 fellow and then a research scientist at CREOL鈥檚 GPCL. He received his bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degree in materials science and engineering at the Seoul National University and his doctoral degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Michigan. Kang joined Alfred University in late 2023 as an assistant professor of ceramic engineering.

鈥淥ur top rankings underscore our dedication to research excellence and innovation.鈥� 鈥� Winston Schoenfeld, vice president for research and innovation

Recently, U.S. News & World Report ranked 麻豆原创 among its 2024-25 Best Global Universities 鈥� highlighting 麻豆原创鈥檚 excellence in education across many areas. Among these rankings, 麻豆原创 received quite a few for highly cited publications.

鈥淲e pride ourselves on the impactful research of our faculty, staff and students,鈥� says Winston Schoenfeld, 麻豆原创鈥檚 vice president for research and innovation. 鈥淥ur top rankings underscore our dedication to research excellence and innovation, and I am delighted to see a number of our 麻豆原创 researchers recognized among the most cited in their fields.鈥�

From optics and photonics to health and education, the fingerprints of 麻豆原创鈥檚 highly cited researchers leave marks on advancements in their fields.

Harnessing Light: Applications of Optics and Photonics

麻豆原创 is a global leader in optics and photonics, ranking No. 29 in the world, according to U.S. News & World Report. 麻豆原创 also ranks among the top 10 in the nation for the field 鈥� as well as No. 5 for total optics publications, optics citations and the number of optics publications among the 10% most cited.

These citations are a reflection of advancements in technologies used daily, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and glass.

Several faculty in 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Optics and Photonics are highly-cited researchers in their field. One of whom is Pegasus Professor Shin-Tson Wu, whose work has been cited more than 52,000 times, according to Google Scholar (the source used for all following citation counts). Wu鈥檚 pioneering research has led to cutting-edge display technologies, including smartphones, tablets, computers, TVs, and, more recently, augmented reality and virtual reality 鈥� making them more energy-efficient, vibrant and versatile. This year, Wu received 麻豆原创鈥檚 inaugural Medal of Societal Impact for his contributions to the field.

鈥淢y main priority is not myself,鈥� Wu says. 鈥淚 am delighted to see my research making impact to the society. A rich life to me is not just about money. It鈥檚 helping others have better lives.鈥�

鈥淚 am delighted to see my research making impact to the society. A rich life to me is not just about money. It鈥檚 helping others have better lives.鈥� 鈥� Shin-Tson Wu, Pegasus Professor

Kathleen Richardson, whose expertise is in high tech glass design and fabrication has earned her over 17,800 citations, established and directs 麻豆原创鈥檚 Glass Processing and Characterization Laboratory. At the lab, she and a team of students design and process novel glass and glass ceramic materials for varying applications. The unique optical properties embedded in the materials have a vast field of applications from thermal imaging instrumentation on a Mars rover to optical phase change materials that change their physical state once triggered by an outside source such as light, which may be useful for detecting toxic leaks.

鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 realize the role glass plays in our lives,鈥� Richardson said in a 2022 article about her involvement with the United Nation鈥檚 Year of Glass. 鈥淔rom Egyptian glass art to infrared security cameras made possible because of glass with special properties, glass has changed our lives. And only now is glass really being recognized for its versatile and renewable possibilities as a sustainable option for challenging problems.鈥�

Fueling Optimal Performance: Nutrition and Exercise Science

Human health and quality of life is another area 麻豆原创 faculty help improve through their curriculum, research and published work.

麻豆原创 ranks No. 92 for Public, Environmental and Occupational Health 鈥� placing the university in the top 18% of institutions worldwide, according to the U.S. News & World Report. This year鈥檚 ranking is also a 72-spot advancement from the previous ranking.

Researchers, including those in the College of Health and Human Performance (CHPS), at 麻豆原创 are No. 1 in the nation for the percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited in public, environmental and occupational health, and No. 5 in the world.

Jeff Stout, the founding Director of 麻豆原创鈥檚 School of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, is one of the world鈥檚 leading researchers on of creatine and other dietary supplements and nutritional interventions for performance enhancement 鈥� with nearly 27,000 career citations. The Pegasus Professor has researched ways to use nutrition and exercise to improve health for older adults experiencing muscle loss and reduced mobility. His work has also focused on sarcopenia, a condition characterized by loss of muscle mass and function that typically begins after 30.

鈥淭he goal of my research is to figure out what is the most optimal way, from both nutritional and exercise perspectives, to slow down the loss of strength and muscle as we age.” 鈥� Jeff Stout, Pegasus Professor

鈥淭he goal of my research is to figure out what is the most optimal way, from both nutritional and exercise perspectives, to slow down the loss of strength and muscle as we age. This is crucial because the quality of our life in later years is directly affected by these factors,鈥� says Stout. 鈥淵ou want to maintain as much muscle, strength and functionality as possible. Skeletal muscle is very important to overall health. It鈥檚 a reservoir of nutrients that our body needs when under stress.鈥�

Some of the most significant findings Stout has discovered include that a combination of resistance training and consuming protein daily promotes muscle growth. Additionally, research shows that consuming 1.4 grams to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight helps adults who exercise regularly maintain sufficient muscle mass.

Excellence in research also extends to staff and leadership at 麻豆原创.

With over 21 years of faculty experience at various R1 institutions, Joel Cramer joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 CHPS in 2022 as senior associate dean for academic and faculty affairs.

His research spans human skeletal muscle health and metabolism across the lifespan. His more recent work aims to identify slower-digesting carbohydrates that don鈥檛 spike blood sugar, or insulin levels, which can aid in understanding of diabetes and related diseases. Much of his research, which has been cited more than 15,000 times, has also been sponsored by the USDA and nutritional supplement companies.

鈥淎 lot of food products and dietary supplements that are on the market are not particularly well-regulated and anything that we can do to improve the science of understanding of those products is good, so the impact is great for the consumer,鈥� he says.

Cramer鈥檚 research impacts extend across the campus community, as he has a passion for supporting young researchers. On Aug. 8, he鈥檒l be broadening that reach across research and faculty support when he becomes 麻豆原创鈥檚 interim vice provost for faculty excellence.

鈥淚t takes a lot of hard work at the beginning [of researchers鈥� careers] to be, first, published and then cited,鈥� Cramer says. 鈥淯nderstanding and navigating those waters is probably the No. 1 thing I can contribute the most here in the world of university metrics for scholarship.鈥�

Enhancing Education: Improving Student and Teacher Outcomes

For the first time, U.S. News & World Report ranks 麻豆原创 in the category of Education and Education Research 鈥� placing the university at No. 94 in the world. 麻豆原创 also ranks in the top 40 in the nation.麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Community Innovation and Education faculty have earned the university the No. 2 in the nation and No. 4 in the world rankings for the percentage of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% in education and educational research. Learning sciences is a field that aims to advance learning for all, from English to engineering, and research in this area has an exponential impact. For over 10 years, Assistant Professor Michelle Taub has studied positive and negative influences on learning, which has led her to become one of the most highly cited researchers in her field.

With nearly 2,400 career citations, much of the self-described data nerd鈥檚 work explores self-regulation, which involves learners鈥� ability to monitor and regulate their thought, emotional and motivational processes.

To help enhance students鈥� learning experiences, researchers across disciplines reach out to Taub for her expertise on learning. At 麻豆原创, she鈥檚 helping engineering faculty enhance foundation course teaching for students. She鈥檚 also supporting the 麻豆原创 Coastal FCI鈥檚 Gulf Scholars Program, which aims to recruit students invested in addressing critical problems facing the Gulf of Mexico region.

鈥淢y goal is to help learners and that’s a goal that other people are sharing.鈥� 鈥� Michelle Taub, assistant professor

鈥淢y goal is to help learners and that’s a goal that other people are sharing,鈥� Taub says. 鈥淚t’s a really good feeling [when other faculty reach out for collaborative projects] because that demonstrates I鈥檓 not just doing the research for me to do the research, but it鈥檚 actually research that is helping students and teachers.鈥�

Her expertise is also being leveraged on studies with researchers at other institutions, as she鈥檚 a co-principal investigator on a North Carolina State University project aimed at enhancing math and special education, as well as interest in STEM careers, through a video game embedded within a fraction curriculum.

Careers in STEM are growing twice as fast as non-STEM careers, with 11.2 million projected position available by 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there are many efforts happening nationally to increase students鈥� interest, access, and success in STEM, research around this topic is critical to making sure the most effective strategies are being implemented.

Professor and Lockheed Martin Eminent Scholar Chair Sarah Bush鈥檚 research, which she鈥檚 been building on for nearly 15 years, aims to improve STE(A)M education, particularly mathematics. As a former middle school mathematics teacher, Bush knows firsthand the experiences and pressures students and educators face in classrooms.

With over 2,100 career citations, one of her most influential works relates to the benefit of informal learning experiences, such as summer programs, on students鈥� STEM learning and interest in STEM careers. These experiences have been shown to provide context and purpose to formal learning, provide opportunity and access to STEM education for students, and extend STEM content learning and engagement. This work has been part of Bush鈥檚 research as a member of the STEM Rocks Research Collective, which consists of STEM education professionals across more than a dozen institutions in the United States.

鈥淭he goal of my research, across numerous STE(A)M education projects and programs, has been to examine how meaningful integration of the STE(A)M disciplines empowers educators and students to be advocates and empathetic solution seekers as they pursue transformational ideas that continue advancing our world,鈥� she says.

The American Ceramic Society organized the Year of Glass Conference, which runs April 5-7. 麻豆原创 College of Optics and Photonics Professor Kathleen Richardson, who helped lobby and plan events for the international kickoff in Switzerland in February, chaired the group that planned the Washington, D.C. conference.

The event brings together heavyweights in private industry, such as the CEO of Corning, Inc, with academic institutions, such as 麻豆原创 and MIT, government agencies, such as Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. National Science Foundation, as well as artists like Dale and Leslie Chihuly, known for their beautiful glass sculptures. The goal is to showcase and educate the community about the important role glass plays in the world.

The U.N. has designated International Years since 1959 to highlight industries, concepts or ideals that promote its objectives. The proposal for the year of glass was led by the International Commission on Glass, an international association of scientists and technologists, research centers, universities, and companies working to promote technical understanding and cooperation in the field of glass. Yearlong activities are planned to celebrate and to showcase the technical, economic, cultural and artistic impact of glass.

While glass is often thought of in artistic ways, it has applications critical to advancing technology. For example, today glass provides the optical fiber backbone of the internet and phone communications, energy efficient windows, lenses for cameras, electronic device displays, wound healing treatments, and much more.

鈥淭here are so many dimensions to glass from the highly technical to the purely aesthetic,鈥� Richardson says. 鈥淭he program will focus on the impact of glass on life as we know it, from the humble beer bottle to the sophisticated communication we use every day. We are excited to bring together leaders from industry, government, academia, and the arts community.鈥�

Richardson is a Pegasus Professor of Optics and Materials Science with joint appointments in the College of Optics and Photonics and the聽College of Engineering and Computer Science. She鈥檚 been at 麻豆原创 23 years and previously worked at universities in France and Germany as well as at Clemson University in South Carolina. She has been recognized with numerous awards from industry and professional organizations and published more than 275 peer-reviewed articles. So far, she has 23 patents over her career.

Among the are:

• Wendell Weeks, CEO of Corning, Inc.
• Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the NSF
• Stephanie Tomkins, director of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
• Dale and Leslie Chihuly, world renown American glass artists

This week鈥檚 conference builds on the international kickoff event in February. 麻豆原创 Optics Professor Leonid Glebov gave a presentation during that event.

鈥淭his presentation was to demonstrate that in addition to common properties of glass 鈥� transparency and chemical durability 鈥� sophisticated holographic optical elements made from photosensitive optical glass can dramatically improve our lives,鈥� he says. 鈥淔or example, laser pulse compressors invented at 麻豆原创 are now used in the whole world for laser cataract surgery. Glass is much more useful than people realize.鈥�

Glebov joined 麻豆原创 in 1995 and has published more than 400 scientific journal articles. He also developed technology that resulted in 14 U.S. patents. His area of research is related to optical properties of glass including holographic optical elements and semiconductor solid state and fiber lasers controlled by volume Bragg grading. In 1999, he helped launch Optigrate Incorp. The company developed and fabricated holographic optical elements based on technology licensed from 麻豆原创. IPG Photonics acquired the company in 2017.

Recordings of most of the sessions will be available to the public at no cost beginning April 11 at the American Ceramic Society website.

Among the recognitions this year are five Pegasus Professors, five Reach for the Stars recipients, service awards and other campus achievements.

The聽Pegasus Professor Award is the highest academic honor an educator can receive at 麻豆原创聽and rewards highly successful teaching, research and creative activity, and service accomplished by senior members of the faculty. Recipients must have worked at 麻豆原创 at least five years and have conducted research or developed programs that have made national and international impact.

These awards are determined by the president and come with a $5,000 stipend and a $5,000 research grant. To reach the height of Pegasus, one must be exceptional in every area 鈥� teaching, research and service. These five faculty members embody excellence in every sense of the word.

Meet the Pegasus Professor Honorees

Maureen Ambrose

Gordon J. Barnett Professor of Business Ethics

鈥淯ltimately, my work can help an organization better manage their people, improving not only the organization, but the individual employees,鈥� Ambrose says.

According to Ambrose, she has 鈥渢he coolest job in the world.鈥� But Ambrose didn鈥檛 see herself in academia until she earned her Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology three decades ago. Today, she鈥檚 helping individuals reach their full potential in their careers 鈥� and in their lives. 鈥淯ltimately, my work can help an organization better manage their people, improving not only the organization, but the individual employees,鈥� she says.

Her research looks at the way companies interact with their employees and what effect it has on a business and its people 鈥� everything from organizational fairness and ethics to workplace deviance. She has become an international leader in these fields, setting best practices for organizations to follow. And while an academic path wasn鈥檛 her first instinct, she has been able to help more people in the workplace than if she hadn鈥檛.

鈥淚 get to research things that I鈥檓 interested in and help change workplace behaviors. I love it.鈥�

Clint Bowers

Professor of Clinical Psychology

Bowers created a peer-support training program that has helped more than 600 first responders, including those from the Pulse nightclub, Las Vegas and Parkland shootings.

Bowers jokes a lot more than you might think a clinical psychologist would. 鈥淵ou should just give this award to my students,鈥� he says, laughing and gesturing to a group of graduate students. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e the ones who do all the work. I just tell them what they鈥檙e doing wrong.鈥�

Joking isn鈥檛 the only thing that sets Bowers apart from other clinical psychologists. He occupies a space in psychological research that is unique 鈥� skilled in training science, cutting-edge technology and psychological disorders. At 麻豆原创 RESTORES, he pairs emerging technologies with established practices to enhance prevention, intervention, treatment and resiliency efforts. 鈥淚f you were in a war and drove over an IED, you come back home terrified to drive,鈥� he explains. 鈥淲e immerse you in your greatest fear in a safe environment.鈥�

Because of his Navy background, Bowers knew that military and first responders are more likely to seek help from peers, rather than professionals. He created a peer-support training program that has helped more than 600 first responders, including those from the Pulse nightclub, Las Vegas and Parkland shootings.

Daniel Britt

Professor of Planetary Science

Britt is the director of the NASA Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science at 麻豆原创, and with his colleagues, is helping establish 麻豆原创 as a national leader in planetary sciences.

Britt has an asteroid named after him 鈥� Asteroid 4395 鈥淒anbritt鈥� 鈥� in recognition of his contributions to asteroid research science. Every NASA Mars lander since 1997 has included imaging calibration targets developed by him. And Britt, a professor of astronomy, is a co-investigator on NASA鈥檚 Lucy, New Horizons, Mars Pathfinder and Deep Space One missions.

So how did he get his start in planetary and asteroid exploration? By graduating with degrees in economics.

鈥淚 went to school for economics and worked in the aerospace industry,鈥� Britt says. 鈥淚 wanted to work on NASA missions, and to do that, I needed to go back to school.鈥� So he earned his Ph.D. in geology. Today, Britt is the director of the NASA Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science at 麻豆原创, and with his colleagues, is helping establish 麻豆原创 as a national leader in planetary sciences. The center is one of nine virtual institutes NASA funds to focus on space science and human space exploration.

鈥淭he work is always challenging and interesting and it鈥檚 making valuable contributions to our society, plus it鈥檚 a worldwide adventure.鈥�

Kathleen Richardson

Professor of Optics and Materials Science

Richardson developed a special glass with specific optical properties and ability to withstand extreme temperatures that can be used in devices such as night vision goggles or infrared cameras.

Richardson hadn鈥檛 seen much of the world when she arrived at college. It wasn鈥檛 until her first job provided her experiences, such as visiting China as part of a delegation on the creation and refinement of ceramics, that her world expanded.

鈥淪cience is a global business,鈥� she says. 鈥淭he companies I work with do business all over the world. I try to expose this perspective to my students as early as possible, so they can begin working on the soft skills, such as interacting with other disciplines and cultures.鈥�

Today, Richardson developed a special glass with specific optical properties and ability to withstand extreme temperatures that can be used in devices such as night vision goggles or infrared cameras. Recently, she and her students worked with an international company to create a specific type of glass for a commercial project, initially creating the glass in her lab and then working with the company to show how to scale up production.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about giving back to the industry, the profession and to your students. That little piece of their lives you share and the great things they go onto do is the joy in the service of our profession.鈥�

Cherie Yestrebsky 鈥�90

Department Chair and Professor of Chemistry

鈥淏eing able to use chemistry to help humanity is really what gives me a charge and makes me passionate.鈥�

Yestrebsky is no stranger to outdoor life. 鈥淚 grew up climbing trees and playing in the mud,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y dad was in construction and helped build 麻豆原创, so I鈥檝e always had a connection here, too.鈥�

As an undergraduate student at 麻豆原创, Yestrebsky went on to graduate school as a result of a pep talk from a professor. Today, she has combined her passions for chemistry and the environment to make a real-world impact. Her research has helped eight countries safely clean their water with a substance she and her laboratory research group created that is injected into aquifers. Her research has also impacted the construction industry through a paste you can apply to walls to draw toxic chemicals out of concrete, brick and other construction materials and then wipe off once the chemicals have been removed.

鈥淏eing able to use chemistry to help humanity is really what gives me a charge and makes me passionate. I鈥檓 an application-based researcher, I want to know how we can make life better for the people living in it today.鈥�

Meet the Reach for the Stars Honorees

The Reach for the Stars awards are presented to five early-career professors聽for their research and service to the university. The research interests of the associate and assistant professors range from fiber optics to tuberculosis drugs to emotional intelligence.

President John C. Hitt selects the recipients, who聽receive a $10,000 annual research grant for three years, which can be renewed based on their promising work. This is the fifth year 麻豆原创 has given Reach for the Stars Awards.

Rodrigo Amezcua Correa

Assistant professor of optics and photonics

Amezcua Correa created a world-class laboratory, which received more than $12 million in funding, for design and fabrication of optical fibers and fiber-based photonic devices. As part of his research, he has published more than 125 journal and conference papers, has made major advances in the development of innovative hollow-core fiber technologies and has licensed his optical fiber sensing technology, which has raised more than $1.3 million.

In a letter of recommendation, Bahaa Saleh, dean of the College of Optics & Photonics, said: 鈥淚 expect him to continue to serve in such leadership positions in years to come and to continue to be an exceptional ambassador for 麻豆原创. Amezcua-Correa鈥檚 research and innovation has been impressive and impactful, and I expect new ideas to come from his lab.鈥�

George Atia

Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering

Atia has publishes 25 journal articles, and his research interests include statistical signal processing, brain signal processing, machine learning and big data analytics. In the past five years, he has received three National Science Foundation grants, two from the Office of Naval Research, and one Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency totaling $1.5 million. His NSF Award on brain research was the first collaborative grant between the College of Engineering & Computer Science and College of Medicine to receive external funding.

In a letter of recommendation, Professor Xun Gong said: 鈥淢y overall impression is that he is a teacher with enthusiasm and dedication, a researcher with high standards and strong productivity, and a colleague with politeness and spirit of collaboration.鈥�

Debashis Chanda

Assistant professor of nanotechnology

As an electrical engineer and nano scientist, Chanda is developing new optoelectronic devices and established an internationally recognized research program. He created the world鈥檚 first skin-like plasmonic display with tunable color, which was recognized by the NSF as one of the major achievements of the International Year of Light in 2015. He has received more than $2 million in research funding and published more than 20 journal articles.

In a letter of recommendation, Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies, said: 鈥淎cross every conceivable dimension, from the quality and quantity of his research, to the nature of his teaching and mentoring of students, to his service activities, Dr. Chanda is outstanding.鈥�

Dana Joseph

Assistant professor of management

Joseph conducts research on emotional intelligence, which is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others, and how to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. Her work has resulted in 23 journal articles, five book chapters and 63 conference presentations. Her research has become among the most highly cited work on emotional intelligence in organizations, and has received funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

In a letter of recommendation, Marshall Schminke, a professor of business ethics, said: 鈥淒r. Joseph鈥檚 record is extraordinary on all fronts. Her research, teaching and service not only support 麻豆原创鈥檚 strategic plan, but also demonstrate the high levels of success that are characteristic of 麻豆原创 Reach for the Stars awardees. I have served at 麻豆原创 for nearly two decades, and never have I been associated with a more impressive junior colleague.鈥�

Kyle Rohde

Assistant professor of biomedical sciences

Rohde established a well-funded research program working on developing new anti-tuberculosis drugs. In the past six years, he and his lab have received $2.3 million in grants, most of them from the National Institutes of Health. Rohde has published 27 peer-reviewed papers, is often asked to give talks at universities, and he and his lab members have presented their work extensively at regional national and international conferences.

In a letter of recommendation, Deborah C. German, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the College of Medicine, said: 鈥淒r. Rohde is exactly the type of faculty member we seek to support at 麻豆原创 鈥� dedicated researcher working on important world problems, committed teacher who trains the next generation of biomedical scientists, and a colleague who works with others to elevate 麻豆原创.鈥�

Awards totaling $39.9 million will help 149 university researchers at 84 academic institutions purchase state-of-the-art research equipment, which will benefit science education, medical training and the preparation of troops.

鈥淥ur strategy of focusing on research that stimulates the local and state economies has served us very well in competing for these federal awards,鈥� said MJ Soileau, vice president for research and commercialization at 麻豆原创. 鈥淥ur faculty have consistently shown that they can compete with the best and the equipment purchased with these awards will position them even better for future funding. This is particularly important since most contracts and grants are for specific work to be done and have little or no money for purchase of major capital equipment.鈥� 聽聽聽

The money coming to 麻豆原创 will purchase major equipment for projects in the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers|College of Optics and Photonics (CREOL|COP) and the Institute for Simulation and Training in partnership with the College of Nursing.聽 聽聽

The CREOL|COP projects include:

Professor Greg Welch from the College of Nursing, IST and the College of Engineering and Computer聽Science received $178,000 from the Office of Naval Research to purchase specialized humanoid robots with computer-rendered or rubber 鈥渟kin鈥� faces that allow the robots to聽perform as surrogate humans. The work he is conducting, along with professors Arjun Nagendran in IST and Charles Hughes in CECS, will create an聽integrated platform for testing and developing these surrogate humans and associated computer graphics and animation to assist in training for the聽military, healthcare and teaching.聽

The Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research fund the projects. They received 735 proposals requesting $278 million in support for research equipment.

麻豆原创, the University of Illinois and Rutgers University were the only universities to receive five awards.聽

The other Florida universities receiving awards this year are the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University, with one award each.