Newsletter of the Optics and Photonics College Network
September 2019
First Images From Mars Will Be Seen Through Jenoptik Lenses

Jenoptik Light & Optics team in Jupiter, FL, a LASER-TEC industrial partner, has been developing three types of mission critical lenses for use with the  Mars Rover's engineering cameras . Navigation lenses will capture the first live video footage from the mission as the rover explores the surface of Mars, crucially important when the rover drives autonomously. Hazard avoidance lenses will provide images that will help the rover identify obstacles and allow NASA engineers to see the movement of the robotic arm during sample collection.

View the complete article about this topic at jenoptik.us  First images from Mars will be seen through Jenoptik lenses
From the Executive Director 

Greetings from LASER-TEC

Beginning with this issue, LASER-TEC will be the publisher of the OPEN newsletter.

We will continue the great work of OP-TEC and expand the topical coverage and audiences of this newsletter. OPEN will be addressing the photonics interests of three groups: community college instructors, K-12 teachers, and photonics industry hiring our graduates. Each edition will have a different focus depending on the needs of each of these three different groups. Additionally, every issue will remind you of the many photonics resources that have been created and are available online. We want this publication to be useful and add value to your work. Your inputs and suggestions are always welcome.

With best wishes for a great fall semester and a great year,

Chrys Panayiotou
Executive Director, LASER-TEC
Feature Your College to Photonics Industry
LASER-TEC and Photonics Spectra are collaborating to bring colleges and industry closer. Beginning January 2020, a different OPCN college will be featured each month in the magazine that reaches more than 95,000 photonics industrial subscribers. It is a great opportunity to showcase your program, your facilities, your students, and their technical skill sets. Indian River State College's Robotics and Photonics Institute is featured as an example on the bottom of this newsletter. To get more details on how to showcase your program in Photonics Spectra, please contact Dr. Chrys Panayiotou, the PI and Executive Director of LASER-TEC at  cpanayio@irsc.edu or (772) 462-7621.
Laser Pioneers: Interview with Dr. James Pearson
LASER-TEC and the Laser Institute of America (LIA) continue their Laser Pioneers series. It is a series of interviews with people who worked and contributed in the early years of the laser industry. In the July/August issue of LIA TODAY we have the interview of Dr. James Pearson, a pioneer who worked in Hughes Labs in the early 1960's.  Encourage your students to read the inspiring life story of this laser pioneer. The full article can be found on pages 30-33 of the magazine at this link:  Laser Pioneers: Interview with Dr. James Pearson
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
10/07/19 - 10/10/19
Orlando, FL
10/14/19 - 10/17/19
Rochester, NY
10/23/19 - 10/25/19
Washington, DC
02/01/20 - 02/06/20
San Francisco, CA
03/28/20 - 03/30/20
National Harbor, MD
Jobs for Graduating Students
Companies recently called LASER-TEC for technicians:
Raytheon, Space and Airborne Systems
251 technician openings world-wide

Companies advertising openings on Indeed.com:
Electro optics technicians: 213 nationwide
Salary range: $45,000 - $85,000
Location and number of jobs:
Danbury, CT(14) - Livermore, CA (7) - Boulder, CO (6) - East Granby, CT (6) - Wilton, CT (6) - Santa Clara, CA (5) - Dallas, TX (5) - Orlando, FL (5) - Santa Barbara, CA (4) - Norfolk, VA (4) - Nashville, TN (4) - San Diego, CA (3) - Albuquerque, NM (3) - East Hartford, CT (3) - Chesapeake, VA (3)

Source:  www.indeed.com - September 20, 2019

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. 
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
Learning Photonics Through Problem-Based Learning

Springfield (MA) Technical Community College in partnership with the New England Board of Higher Education and AIM Photonics Academy is developing a series of problem-based learning (PBL) challenges for students to discover advanced photonics manufacturing (APM) and its applications. The challenges will be accompanied by instructional implementation guides to help teachers guide students in their journey of learning about real -life problems encountered in photonics.  
Secondary and postsecondary STEM educators are cordially invited to enroll in the APM-PBL program, no prior knowledge of photonics is required. Attendees will have the opportunity to:
  • Participate in 2 webinars during the 2019-2020 academic year to introduce optics and photonics and the PBL instructional method.
  • Attend the APM-PBL 4-day professional development workshop at STCC during the third week of July, 2020 to introduce the APM-PBL Challenges developed by the project team (free registration and travel reimbursement up to $1000 is available for U.S. participants).
  • Receive a FREE copy of "LIGHT: An Introduction to Optics & Photonics" by Donnelly & Massa.
  • Receive continuous support and mentoring in PBL instructional methods and topics in advanced photonics manufacturing technology.
  • Implement field-testing of 2 or more STEM PBL Challenges during the 2020 academic year. A $500 stipend per Challenge (for up to 2 challenges) will be paid upon submission of implementation reports (for U.S. participants only).
  • Participate in capstone Showcase workshop during academic summer 2021.
For more information and registration, visit  https://ate.is/massa. The application deadline is November 1, 2019.
Laser-Photonics Technologies Hybrid Program

In January 2020, LASER-TEC is launching the Laser-Photonics Technologies series of blended courses as part of the effort to increase the production of photonics technicians in the United States to meet industry demand. The goals of this project are:
  • Provide education to future photonics technicians of all ages and backgrounds and prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century in the field of laser-photonics.
  • Provide professional development to instructors from around the country who want to learn and add laser-photonics content to their existing programs, or create new courses and programs.
  • Provide an opportunity for industry to update their incumbent workers in an efficient and cost-effective way.
  • Raise awareness in the community in general about the importance of the field of photonics and light enabled technologies and applications for future technological advancements in the 21st century.
The five-course series will consist of the following courses:

Course 1. INTRODUCTION TO PHOTONICS
Course 2. GEOMETRICAL AND PHYSICAL OPTICS
Course 3. FUNDAMENTALS OF FIBER OPTICS
Course 4. LASER SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS
Course 5. INTRODUCTION TO SPECTROSCOPY

All courses are blended with the theoretical part online and the practical part at LASER-TEC in Fort Pierce, FL. The tuition will be waived for educators. To inquire more information about the courses, please contact Natalia Chekhovskaya, Associate Director of LASER-TEC, at nchekhov@irsc.edu or (772) 462-7295. 
Featured College: Robotics and Photonics Institute, Indian River State College
Offers Associate Degree and Certificate programs in laser, photonics, fiber optics and solar energy for 15+ years. More than 350 technicians have graduated and are working in the Laser/Photonics industry throughout the United States and internationally. Companies that hired graduates of these programs include: Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, AT&T, Gooch & Housego, Jenoptik, Laser Components, Rockwell Collins, Harris Corp., and many more.
Associate in Science degree program in Photonics and Robotics
Two-year program with strong technical core teaching hands on training skills in state-of-the-art labs stocked with the latest industrial grade equipment. Technicians receive a solid foundation in electronics, automation, robotics during the first year. In their second year they learn Photonics, Fiber Optics, Geometrical Optics, Laser Technologies, and Photovoltaic Systems. Graduates of this program work as technicians in industrial production companies, in research and development, national labs, field service, and system repair among other places. 
Skills of AS degree graduates:
* Troubleshoot integrated photonic systems using microscopes, oscilloscopes, pulse generators, power meters, beam analyzers, spectrometers, or energy measurement devices.
* Tune Nd:YAG, HeNe, and CO2 lasers for maximum
power and high quality beam.
* Align optical systems.
* Perform high quality fusion splicing for single and multi mode fibers.
* Use OTDR to identify problems in fiber optic links.
* Properly clean and maintain precision optics.
* Use optical source and meter to measure attenuation
of optical links.
* Document procedures, such as calibration of optical
or fiber optic equipment.
* Apply laser safety rules according to ANSI and OSHA
standards.
* Compute or record photonic test data.
* Troubleshoot robotic systems, using knowledge of
programmable controllers, electronics, circuit analysis, mechanics, sensor or feedback systems, hydraulics, or pneumatics.
* Disassemble and reassemble robots or peripheral equipment to make repairs such as replacement of defective circuit boards, sensors, controllers, encoders, and servomotors.
* Perform preventive or corrective maintenance on
robotic systems or components.
* Maintain service records of robotic equipment or
automated production systems.
* Install, program, or repair programmable logic
controllers (PLC), robot controllers, end-of-arm tools, or conveyors.
* Program PLCs using ladder logic.
* Program SCADA systems and HMI interfaces.
Certificates (Short term 4, 6, or 8 month duration)
Lasers & Photonics
Solar Energy
Robotics and Simulation
Basic Electronics
Electronic Technology
How can I recruit from this college?
Visit our college to present your company and employment opportunities to our students. We will make available, free of charge, a private auditorium to interview interested students. Please contact the person below to make arrangements for a recruiting visit. Graduation occurs every December and May.


Contact Information:
Name: Dr. Mo Hasanovic
Telephone: (772) 462-7743
Address: 3209 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, FL 34981

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone who may find it's contents valuable.



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 info@laser-tec.org
OPEN is published by the LASER-TEC Center for Laser and Fiber Optics Education

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.