Education and Outreach

The goals established by the Photonics and Imaging Initiatives in the area of education are to begin developing outreach efforts with K-12 teachers and students and support the recruitment of underrepresented students via:

• Development of a committee of Native American representatives, and University representatives to provide input on areas that will enhance outreach efforts for underrepresented groups

• Participation with Society for Native American Engineers on the University of Arizona Campus

• Development mentoring programs

• Initiation of an Optical Sciences Role Model Program with Native American leaders in science, education and industry

• Outreach to schools by visiting classes, providing age-appropriate information about the College of Optical Sciences and arranging for College tours and visitor events

• Accompanying admissions counselors on school site visits to promote interest in the University of Arizona, optics, and the College of Optical Sciences

• Involve area teachers in research projects as appropriate

• Collaboration with representatives of the MESA, Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement, program for early outreach to minority students in the 6th through 12th grades, and underrepresented and first generation college-bound students. For more information about the very successful MESA program, please visit http://w3.arizona.edu/~arizonamesa/

A Few Highlights:

Upward Bound Program - Diné College.  In partnership with Diné College and the Upward Bound Program, graduate students provided the curriculum and coordinated the science module and the math module for the Upward Bound 6-week summer program on the reservation. This is a year-round program at Diné that helps high school students get exposed to college life.  We will continue to interact throughout the year with the College and the Upward Bound program, as well as the area high schools and elementary schools, with the intention of developing activities that will support the group and encourage Navajo students to continue their education at the U of A.

Optical Sciences Camp – You will become the researcher! 20 young scientists participated in this 5-day optical sciences camp. The students spent the week learning the process of creating holograms and diffraction gratings, manufacturing and guiding light through fiber optics and manipulating lasers while working with research scientists and students on optics experiments. Jim Wyant, Brian Anderson, Charles M. Falco, Hong Hua, Alan Kost, Franko Kueppers, Matthew Kupinski, Jim Schwiegerling and Kurt Thome taught 9-12th grade students about modern optics and photonics and allowed them to interact on all levels of experiments and projects with these internationally renowned professors.  Scholarships were awarded utilizing funds from the TRIF program to those unable to pay the fees.