OPEN Optics and Photonics Education News
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Newsletter of the Optics and Photonics College Network |
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Lasers: Vital to Medicine and Bioscience
From the Executive Director
Upcoming Events
Hints for Writing a Successful NSF ATE Grant and Last Minute Help
Jobs for Graduating Students
LASER-TEC Offers Open-entry Self-paced Online Faculty Professional Development Courses
College Photonics Programs Featured Globally in Photonics Spectra
Spotlight on Electrical Engineering Career Paths
LASER-TEC Resources
Featured College: Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Traverse City, MI
OPCN Member Colleges
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Upcoming Events
09/21/2020 - 09/25/2020
Online
09/28/2020 - 10/01/2020
Online
10/06/2020
10/19/2020 - 10/23/2020
Online
03/06/2021 - 03/11/2021
San Francisco, CA
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Jobs for Graduating Students
Companies contacting
LASER-TEC for technicians:
Panasonic Corporation
Laser Technician openings
CO2 and Rebuild Manager
Coherent
Fiber Laser Manufacturing Tech openings
Product Line Manager
Brimose Corp of America
Optical technician openings - fiber coupling laser
Account Manager
Companies advertising openings on Indeed.com:
Electro optics technicians: 172 nationwide
Companies: Areté (6), Reliance Test & Technology (6), Leonardo DRS (6), Veterans Prime, Inc. (5), Coherent, Inc. (5), Corning (5) Applied Materials (5), ASML (4), IPG Photonics Corporation (4), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (4), Clear Align (4), Power Grid Engineering, LLC (4), Ball Aerospace (4), nLIGHT (4), Precision Contracting Services (3)
Location and number of jobs:
Santa Clara, CA (8), Melbourne, FL (7), Eglin AFB, FL (6), Wilsonville, OR (4), Livermore, CA (4), Tucson, AZ (4), Wilton, CT (4), Nashua, NH (4), Hillsboro, OR (3), Keene, NH (3), Boulder, CO (3), Orlando, FL (3), Hampton, VA (3), Bozeman, MT (3), Fort Worth, TX (2)
NOTE: Very few companies use photonics as a job title for technicians. When searching, use the job title electro optics to get the best results.
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Lasers: Vital to Medicine and Bioscience |
The use of lasers in the medical arena extends from imaging and spectroscopy to illumination, and even to the manufacture of medical devices. This tech digest by Laser Focus World provides examples of the ubiquitous presence of lasers in bioscience, medical device manufacturing, and clinical medical applications.
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From the Executive Director |
The majority of the Optics and Photonics College Network (OPCN) members have started their classes with a hybrid format: lectures online, and laboratory sessions on campus face to face. All is going well so far, and we wish this continues with minimal disruptions.
September is the month to finalize and submit your NSF ATE grants. This year, the deadline is October 1st, 2020. If you are applying, please see some hints below and last-minute help from LASER-TEC.
Several online laser-photonics courses are now open for registration. Working professionals and educators from the US and overseas have already registered. Please take a look at our offerings and pass this information to anyone who may be interested in taking these courses.
LASER-TEC resources such as textbooks, lab books, educational modules, posters, and educational kits that can help you with your program are described again in this newsletter so that you may take advantage of them.
Finally, the photonics program of Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan, is featured in this newsletter.
Best wishes for a successful term,
Chrys Panayiotou
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Hints for Writing a Successful NSF ATE Grant and Last Minute Help |
- Make sure you have read the current program solicitation NSF 18-571, and that your proposal falls under one of the categories listed in this solicitation.
- Do not write a proposal that does not fit in the solicitation hoping that you will convince the reviewers to accept it with your compelling arguments. It will be a waste of your time and effort.
- After you solidify the proposal idea in your mind, write the one-page executive summary that will help you describe clearly and concisely the project, its goals, intellectual merit, and broader impact.
- Based on the executive summary, write a 15 page narrative that agrees 100% with the summary and expands in all directions, explain in detail how the project will be organized, managed, and evaluated according to the instructions of the 18-571 solicitation.
Program solicitation NSF 18-571 can be found here,
If you have written your proposal and would like a free review by seasoned grant writers that have received many ATE awards and participated in many NSF proposal review panels, please contact Chrys Panayiotou.
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LASER-TEC Offers Open-entry Self-paced Online Faculty Professional Development Courses |
Starting this fall, LASER-TEC is offering a flexible option for professional development to help build strong technical knowledge and skills in the fundamentals of photonics. Several courses are now offered fully online as open-entry, self-paced courses.
Course offerings include:
The benefits of these online courses:
- Start learning on your own schedule - no waiting!
- Study at your own pace
- Theory fundamentals is 100% online
- Unlimited course access for up to 6 months from purchase date
- Option to complete practical sessions
- Instructor help is available
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College Photonics Programs Featured Globally in Photonics Spectra |
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LASER-TEC has partnered with the global B2B publisher Photonics Spectra to put a spotlight on two-year colleges that offer photonics courses and programs. Photonics Spectra is a publication that reaches over 100,000 professionals who continuously express the need for qualified photonics technical personnel. This project creates a bridge between colleges and industry in aligning the photonics workforce pipeline. Since January 2020, the following OPCN colleges have been featured in this monthly publication:
- Indian River State College
- Central Carolina Community College
- Indian Hills Community College
- Niagara College
- Hillsborough Community College
- Stonehill College
- Spokane Community College
- Monroe Community College
Information about photonics preparation programs at State Technical College of Missouri, Front Range Community College, Photonics Institute of Puerto Rico, Northwestern College, and Gallatin College have been scheduled to appear in future issues.
If you would like to boost your program, give it targeted exposure to hiring managers in the industry, showcase your facilities and students’ knowledge and skills, then a publication in Photonics Spectra magazine can help. To feature your college in Photonics Spectra, contact Natalia Chekhovskaya at [email protected].
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Spotlight on Electrical Engineering Career Paths |
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LASER-TEC partner, stemCONNECT, a program of Florida High Tech Corridor Council interviewed Paul Godfrey, Professor of Electronics Engineering Technology at Indian River State College, FL. In this interview, Paul talks about his career as an electrical engineer and as a professor preparing the future technical workforce. Paul sheds light about careers in electronics engineering technology, photonics, and automation; what is required to be successful in the field, students’ goals, attitudes, and aspirations. This is a great video to share with your prospective and current students. |
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Whether you are looking for support with your college program's outreach, curriculum design, academic-business partnerships, or student placement, LASER-TEC has resources for you. Visit the Resources tab on our website to browse textbooks, kits, laboratory manuals, and informational and outreach materials. The current collection is comprised of both LASER-TEC and OP-TEC materials. Don't forget to check this page often, as we will constantly upload additional resources.
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Featured College: Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) - Traverse City, MI |
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Offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Engineering Technology - Electronics specialization which includes a focus on lasers and optics technology. This degree provides a focus on the applied aspects of science and engineering technology aimed at preparing graduates for practice in the technology spectrum, including product improvement, manufacturing, robotics, unmanned systems, marine technology and more. The degree offers a core set of engineering technology skills with a specialization in one of several technical concentrations. |
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Associate of Applied Science Degree in Engineering Technology - Electrical
This is a two year program with extensive hands-on training. The first year of the program provides a strong base of core technical skills in the areas of basic electronics, CAD, fluid power, programming and microcontrollers. The second year of the program builds on this foundational knowledge by expanding into specialized skill sets including electronics, lasers, and photonics. Internship opportunities and a final design capstone experience are embedded in the program.
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Skills of AAS degree graduates: |
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All graduates of the program will have the ability to:
- Apply the skills and techniques to solve engineering technology problems using project-based learning
- Communicate effectively
- Conduct tests and measurements
- Function effectively as a member of a technical team
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- Apply the fundamentals of electricity and electronics
- Follow safe electrical work practices
- Construct circuits from schematics and diagrams using proper wiring and soldering techniques.
- Perform electrical measurements using multimeters, oscilloscopes and other test equipment.
- Program microcontroller-based systems
- Use a systems level approach to analyze electronics and electrical devices
- Perform bench testing and integrating of devices to meet system requirements.
- Perform design modifications, circuit improvements, as component protection as designs are developed into working prototypes.
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- Understanding control circuits, electrical schematics and line diagrams.
- Interface to Programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
- Understands the elements of a laser, operation of a helium-neon gas laser, laser physics, optical-cavities, properties of laser light and a survey of laser systems.
- Follow safety procedures concerning lasers and related equipment.
- Understands operational characteristics of lasers, specific laser types, optical detectors and human vision, principles of optical fiber communications, photonics devices for imaging, storage and display, and laser welding and surface treatment.
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The photonic courses are designed as follows: |
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- NMC’s first semester course covers the text Fundamentals of Light and Lasers from front to back cover, and includes an additional Module 7, Fiber Optics.
- NMC’s second semester course covers Modules 1-5 of the Laser Applications text, but is still listed in the NMC catalogue as Element of Photonics due to the class development during the existence of the former text.
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Contact Information
Name: Jason Slade
Telephone: (231) 995-1995
Address: 1701 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49686
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How can I recruit from this college?
The Engineering Technology program provides a highly skilled technician with diverse skill sets. Our students are interested in working throughout the Great Lakes region and the United States. “Lunch and learns”, both in-person and virtually, are great opportunities to promote your company and interact with our students. Companies will typically showcase their industry, highlight skills needed by applicants and answer career related questions. Afterwards, a company representative can meet with the students one on one to discuss specifics. Career opportunities can be promoted on the program’s LinkedIN job board, social media accounts and in-class. The college also hosts virtual and in-person career fairs. NMC has a robust internship program that can assist your company in identifying potential candidates for internship opportunities.
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OPCN Member Colleges
The Optics and Photonics College Network (OPCN) is an association of postsecondary photonics technician educators operated by LASER-TEC. To learn more about the OPCN and to view the list of member institutions, please visit www.laser-tec.org/opcn
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Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may find it's contents valuable. |
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Join the Conversation
We hope you enjoyed this edition of the OPEN newsletter. We would really like to hear from you. If there is some subject that you would like us to discuss or look into, please let us know at [email protected]
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OPEN is published by the LASER-TEC Center for Laser and Fiber Optics Education |
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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-1700352. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. |
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