Changing Objectives: NMCF Manager and Microscopist Richard White Retires

After 40 years in the field of microscopy—many of them spent peering deep into the nanoscale—Richard White, Manager of UVA’s Nanoscale Materials Characterization Facility (NMCF), is officially retiring on May 15. And to think... it all started because he was early to class.

A Tool and Die Mechanic taking courses for certification and waiting for a class to begin, Richard noticed a person in a lab coat using an unfamiliar, unusal instrument in one of the other rooms. Curious (and always up for a chat), Richard wandered in—and discovered the world of electron microscopy. The rest, as they say, is history….. as well as decades of managing cutting-edge instruments and training future scientists. He “went from measuring sixteenths of an inch to nanometers,” he liked to say, “and looked at things in finer detail.”

Switching gears, Richard went on to earn certification in electron microscopy and launched his career at Lockheed Aeronautical Systems, analyzing aircraft parts for the C130 and C-5 cargo plane. From there, he held roles at McCrone Associates, EMSL, and RJ Lee—tackling failure analysis, asbestos detection, lab management, and training across five regional labs.

A Labor Day phone call in 2004 from then-director Jim Howe changed Richard’s trajectory once again—this time bringing him to UVA. He quickly became the steady hand behind the NMCF, managing three transmission electron microscopes, two scanning electron microscopes, dual XRD instruments, a light microscope, and even a dark room for developing TEM film. Through changes in leadership and advances in technology, Richard remained the constant—training countless students, assessing materials issues, solving thorny sample prep problems, and occasionally dodging billing paperwork.

What has Richard loved most? “Every day was a little different,” he says. “I took the job because I wanted to train students—it’s great to see them come in nervous and leave as confident microscopists who’ve taken data that matters.” What he loved least? “Billing.”

As he retires, Richard hopes to continue sharing his expertise part-time—maybe with JEOL, FEI, or Oxford Instruments—or through industrial consulting. When not behind a ‘scope, he’s planning road trips to the national parks with his family.

Help celebrate Richard’s remarkable career by letting him know how much we’ve all appreciated his contributions to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He will be in the office through May 15th, 2025, although out April 28th – May 6th. You can drop him a line at rrw3q@virginia.edu—just don’t ask him to send an invoice.