• Theoretical Condensed-Matter Physics
• Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics
• Astrophysics and General Relativity
• Experimental Elementary Particle Physics
• Accelerator Physics
• Experimental Condensed-Matter Physics
• Biological Physics
• Multidisciplinary Research
• Major Research Facilities
• Resources for Researchers

B.S., 1958, Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute. M.S., 1960, Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Ph.D., 1966, Physics, Duke University. Second Lieutenant, US Army, 1959-60. Research Associate, Cornell University, 1966-67. Assistant Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1968-71. Associate Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1972-74. Professor, Physics, Cornell University, 1975-86. F.R. Newman Professor of Physics, Cornell University, 1987-present. Visiting Scientist, Bell Laboratories, 1984. Director of Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Cornell University, 1990-1996. Vice Provost for Research, Cornell University, 1998-2007. Senior Science Advisor to the President and Provost, Cornell University, 2007-2009. Senior Vice Provost for Research Emeritus, Cornell University, 2008-present. Guggenheim Fellowship, 1975-76; 1982-83. Eight Simon Memorial Prize [British Physical Society], 1976 (with D.D. Osheroff and D.M. Lee). Buckley Prize [American Physical Society] , 1981 (with D.D. Osheroff and D.M. Lee). Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1981. Fellow, American Physical Society, 1983. Member, National Academy of Sciences, 1986. Foreign Member, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, 1993. Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1995. Nobel Prize in Physics, 1996 (shared with D.M. Lee and D.D. Osheroff). Commendation, Virginia General Assembly, 1998. Honorary Doctor of Science Degree, Ohio State University, 2000. Member, American Philosophical Society, 2001. Distinguished Graduate School Alumnus Award, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2003. Honorary Doctor of Science Degree, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2009.

Research Areas
Experimental low temperature physics, especially the properties of liquids and solids at sub-millikelvin temperatures

Current Research

Professor Richardson is currently focused on teaching and is not maintaining an active research group at this time.

Spotlight

Jalina Keeling is an undergraduate student with the Itai Cohen Group on Complex Matter Physics (who is at Cornell as part of the NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates program). She is conducting experiments similar to the epitaxial growth of crystals, but using polymer beads. She uses a confocal microscope to scan a sample of these beads from bottom to top. Her research seeks to answer the questions "What structures form? How do we tune the concentration of polymers to change ...
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