A Career as a Photonics or Optics Specialist

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Photonics / Optics Specialist

Often overlooked, light plays a big factor in everyday life; it is the key to survival. Light is used for everything from cellular respiration to the lasers in DVD players. Photonics and optics both involve the study of light. Photonics is the study of how light can be used to transfer information. Meanwhile, optics focuses mainly on the way light affects and is affected by other things. An optics or photonics specialist is the name given to someone who has expertise in these fields.

In Ontario, there are four post-secondary schools that offer programs relating to the study of photonics and optics. The first is Wilfred Laurier University. Laurier has a program called Physics, Photonics; in which the option to do co-op is offered. To get into this program, students must have a mid 70’s average. On top of that students must also have the following pre-requisite 4U courses (with a minimum average of 60% in each course): advanced functions; two of calculus, chemistry, or physics; and an english course. As well as this, the combined minimum average in the science courses has to be 70% or greater. Completing the program will provide the student with a Bachelor of Science. The next two post-secondary institutions, Carleton University and Algonquin College, have a joint program called Information Technology – Photonics and Laser Technology. Like Laurier, this program offers students the option to do co-op. In order to get into this program the applicant has to have a low to mid 70’s average. The pre-requisites include the following 4U courses: advanced functions; physics; one of calculus, chemistry, or earth and space science; with calculus being recommended. Completion of the program results in obtaini...

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...n increase with more experience. Some of the tasks that someone working as an optics or photonics specialist might conduct include assembling, measuring, testing and repairing optical components; such as lenses, lasers, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Other tasks involve product development, as well as research and development.

The jobs of optics and photonics specialists are becoming increasingly more important today, as there are so many different technologies using optics-based devices. An example of a commonly used device is a laser. Lasers are used in everything from DVD players to medical devices to tools for entertainment. They can be quite dangerous, causing burns, or hardly harmful. Due to ever-advancing technology, optics and photonics specialists will be able to continue their study of light for many years to come.

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