Touring Synoptics, a division of Northrop Grumman, were, left to right: Scott Parker, Gary Beasley, Dr. Kevin Stevens, Antonio DePaz, Christopher Barnes, Cameron Childress, Kyla Ross, and Ruth Gietzen.
LILLINGTON - Second-year students in the Laser and Photonics Technology (LPT) program at Central Carolina Community College's Harnett Main Campus experienced first-hand learning of photonics applications during a recent field trip to Charlotte.
On Nov. 3, the students toured the Optics Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Scott Williams, Assistant Director of the Center, who is an advisor to the CCCC LPT program, conducted the tour. He showed the students various research labs, pointing out and discussing some advanced photonics applications.
On Nov. 4, the students toured Synoptics, a division of Northrup Grumman. Synoptics is one of the few manufacturers in the world of crystals used in solid-state lasers. Dr. Kevin Stevens, Director of Research & Development at Synoptics, who is also an advisor to the CCCC LPT program, conducted the tour. He showed the students all of the processes used to make the special crystals, explaining the science and technology used in each process. The students came away from the tour excited to actually see laser crystal rods made as they had studied in classroom lectures and labs.
CCCC students on the tour were Antonio DePaz and Kyla Ross, from Harnett County; Cameron Childress, Ruth Gietzen, and Scott Parker, from Lee County; and Christopher Barnes, from Cumberland County. Also on the tour was CCCC Laser and Photonics Technology Lead Instructor Gary Beasley. During the tours, they were able to observe some of the latest technology in the laser and photonics industry. In addition, students were able to get answers to some very difficult technical questions that arose during the tours - making for a great learning experience.
Central Carolina Community College has a laser club and student chapter of SPIE in their photonics curriculum. The field trip was funded through the club, student chapter, and a National Science Foundation (NSF) Laser and Fiber Optics Grant (LASER-TEC), which CCCC participates as a Co-Principal Investigator. The LASER-TEC Grant supports preparing more students for the fast growing fields of lasers and fiber optics technology. Dr. Chrys Panayiotou, from Indian Rivers State College, is the Principal Investigator of LASER-TEC. Photonics is the study of the use of light, such as lasers, for industrial and other purposes.
To learn more about Central Carolina Community College's Laser & Photonics Technology program, contact CCCC Laser and Photonics Technology Lead Instructor Gary Beasley at 910-814-8828 or by email at gbeasley@cccc.edu. To learn more about SPIE, visit spie.org. To learn more about LASER-TEC, visit www.laser-tec.org.
For more information on Central Carolina Community College, visit the website www.cccc.edu.
Touring Synoptics, a division of Northrop Grumman, were, left to right: Scott Parker, Gary Beasley, Dr. Kevin Stevens, Antonio DePaz, Christopher Barnes, Cameron Childress, Kyla Ross, and Ruth Gietzen.
Touring the Optics Research Center on the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's campus were, left to right: Cameron Childress, Scott Parker, Ruth Gietzen, Kyla Ross, Antonio DePaz, Gary Beasley, Christopher Barnes, and Scott Williams.