Sala, A. L. (2014, June), Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training Program  Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana. 10.18260/1-2--20276

\bibitem{asee_peer_20276}
  Sala, A. L. (2014, June), \emph{Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training Program}
  Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana.
  10.18260/1-2--20276

Anca L. Sala.  "Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training Program".  2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2014.  https://peer.asee.org/20276 Internet.  29 Jun, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_20276}
  Anca L. Sala.
  "Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training Program".
  \emph{2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2014.
  https://peer.asee.org/20276 Internet.  29 Jun, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_20276
author = "Anca L. Sala"
title = "Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training Program"
booktitle = "2014 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2014"
month = "June"
address = "Indianapolis, Indiana"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/20276}
number = {10.18260/1-2--20276}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -      Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training                                  ProgramAbstractPhotonics is the science and technology of using light to generate and control energy, andtransmit and detect information. Photonics is an enabling technology, supporting a wide varietyof industries and fields. The National Photonics Initiative1 has identified five key areas wherephotonics plays a critical role in allowing the United States regain global competitiveness andmaintain national security: advanced manufacturing, communications and informationtechnology, defense and national security, energy, and health and medicine.While photonics plays such an important role in enhancing the quality of our lives, highereducation programs to prepare technicians to work in this area are few across the country. Theexisting programs do not produce a sufficient number of graduates to fill the current andprojected industry needs for photonics technicians in our state and region as well as nationally2.Our College has started addressing this gap by developing and introducing a two-year Photonicsand Laser Technology program, the only such program in our state. This initiative has receivedenthusiastic support from the photonics industry in the state, and is also supported by a NationalScience Foundation Advanced Technology Education (ATE) Grant. The goals of the grantproject are to: a) create and implement a new Associate of Applied Science Photonics and LaserTechnology (AAS PLT) program; b) fully equip an Optics and Photonics Laboratory foreducation and training; c) train faculty to teach core courses in the AAS PLT program; d)perform outreach activities to local high schools to promote the new program; e) educate 30 ormore students or workers by the end of the project.The paper discusses the efforts and activities performed towards achieving the project goals, andthe results and outcomes obtained in the first year of the grant. Activities included convening anAdvisory Board with industry participation to provide guidance towards a current, high qualityphotonics program; developing new photonics courses with labs; building a state-of-the-artOptics and Photonics educational laboratory; providing professional development to facultymembers in photonics topics including experimental skills; training and certifying a facultymember to act as Laser Safety Officer; holding an Open House and visits to the Optics andPhotonics Laboratory; and offering a summer program introducing photonics to high schoolstudents in the area.References1. “Lighting the Path to a Competitive, Secure Future, A White Paper by the National Photonics Initiative, May 23,2013”,http://www.lightourfuture.org/files/8213/6943/4583/Lighting_the_Path_to_a_Competitive_Secure_Future_052413.pdf, accessed on Oct. 15, 20132. “Industry Demand for Two-Year College Graduates in Optics and Photonics Technology, A 2012 Industry Surveyof Current and Future Demand for Two-Year Degreed Photonics Technicians”,http://www.op-tec.org/2012survey.php, accessed on Oct. 15, 2013
AU  - Anca L. Sala
CY  - Indianapolis, Indiana
DA  - 2014/06/15
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Developing a Photonics and Laser Technician Education and Training Program
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/20276
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--20276
ER  -