1. Richardson ’83 Named VP for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company
EASTON, Pa.(www.lafayette.edu), May 17, 2006 — Unmanned systems (robots) have been
anticipated for years. Jennifer Richardson ’83 is helping make them a reality in her new role as
vice president of engineering for Optical Alchemy Inc., the leading developer and manufacturer of
sensor systems for unmanned vehicles.
“We are finally seeing unmanned aerial vehicles put into practical use, which opens up a new
frontier for gathering information and performing tasks that would otherwise be too costly and
time consuming. Optical Alchemy is making the eyes and ears for these systems,” she explains.
Richardson is responsible for the functional management of the engineering team, product
roadmap and development, program management, and bid/proposal support.
“Many of the applications of our products relate to safety and security for U.S. civilians and
military personnel,” she says.
A chemical engineering graduate, Richardson has applied the general engineering and physics
skills and knowledge she gained at Lafayette, first to a scientific career in research and
development and later to engineering and finally to technical management with the electro-optical
and infrared sensor development arena.
“The professors at Lafayette were excellent. I most enjoyed my conversations with Professor
Dean Keck of the physics department,” she says. “The breadth of the education at Lafayette
prepared me to succeed in a high-technology career. Many of my peers have at least a graduate
degree in their respective engineering fields and/or an MBA.”
Richardson got her start in sensory development when she helped design and build radiometers,
systems which fly on shuttles, for NASA. She moved on to work in several subsequent positions
where her experience with the technology helped develop innovative products that met the high-
tech needs of customers.
“Most recently, I've been involved with several successful merger-and-acquisition activities for
start-ups with cutting-edge technology and for one established tech company. Adding this
business element has been very interesting and rewarding,” she says.
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2/1/2007http://www.lafayette.edu/news.php/viewnc/8675-print/

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2/1/2007http://www.lafayette.edu/news.php/viewnc/8675-print/