Geri Richmond has a passion for lasers that stretches back over 40 years.
Like dissecting a sentence down to the letters of every word, the University of Oregon chemistry professor uses laser technology to discover the fundamental nature of the physical world.
“You’re always after finding out the details that make things go,” she said.
Lasers have come a long way since her days in graduate school in 1976 when she first got wind of the burgeoning technology. She had never done much with building machines or electronics before that, she said.
It was the combination of optics, light, electronics and the constructing of machine components that hooked her, she said, as well as the constant evolution of the technology.
“It’s just been wonderful to see the progress,” she says.
Lasers can be used to study just about anything, but for Richmond her passion is the environment. In particular, Richmond’s discoveries seek to provide key insight into current issues like clean drinking water or environmental cleanup and response. She will share one of her key findings at this year’s TEDx Salem VI.
Richmond is also passionate about promoting women in science. Coming up in the field in the 1980s, she witnessed a number of female colleagues drop out as a result of being marginalized in the classroom.
“I thought that was a tremendous waste,” she said.
As part of the organization COACh at the University of Oregon, Richmond has ventured around the world in order to reach out to women and encourage governments and universities to encourage women to learn science.
The best part of her work she says is teaching, as she’s done at the University of Oregon in a career that has spanned over 33 years. She was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama in 2013 in part for her effort to promote women in science.
“There is nothing more precious than being able to work with my students,” she said, “and see them advance in their careers.”
Name: Geri Richmond
Age: 65
Title: Presidential Chair of Science and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oregon
Hometown: Lindsboro, KS
Family: Husband of 42 years, two grown sons
Pets: 2 terriers, some chickens
Favorite Book: The Giver, by Lois Lowry. “It reaches all ages, and it makes you think pretty deeply about a lot of things.”
Favorite Music: Anything by Pink Martini
Favorite Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
Hobbies: Gardening, sewing.
TEDxSalem VI
TEDxSalem VI is an all-day event featuring talks, performances, refreshments, lunch and a swag bag. It runs 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5 at the Salem Convention Center. Tickets are on sale now for $55, $45 for students. Follow us on Facebook for the most up-to-date news from our community, and check our website regularly for new information. You can also reach us at info@tedxsalem.com.