The Industrial Associates
Program
The Spring 2008 meeting of the members
of Industrial Associates Program will be tentatively held
on March 31 and April 1, 2008
in the new Goergen BME/Optics Building. Special event coordinator
Gayle
Thompson welcomes your questions about Industrial Associates.
Program Description
The Institute of Optics has a long tradition of interacting
with companies and corporations through research collaborations,
consulting arrangements, work in professional societies,
and a variety of informal exchanges of ideas and information.
It is a principal goal of the Industrial Associates Program
to provide a formal framework for maintaining and nurturing
this historical relationship between industry and The
Institute.
Resources are required for all research
and educational programs, and the membership income derived
from the Industrial Associates Program plays a critical
role in the overall operation of The Institute. The income
from the program's membership fees is used for important
expenditures for which other sources of funds are either
insufficient or unavailable. Among other activities, recruiting
top graduate students and purchasing specialized laboratory
equipment are made possible with these funds. The overwhelming
majority of our students enter the work force after graduating,
so industries clearly benefit when they participate. It
is equally beneficial to industry for our educational programs
to expose students to state-of-the-art laboratory instrumentation
and measurement techniques. The positive impact on our educational
programs is enormous. It would not be an exaggeration to
say that our educational program could not continue its
service to Optics without a strong Industrial Associates
Program.
What are the benefits of membership?
- A formal relationship with the faculty, staff, and
students of The Institute
- Helping to ensure a continuing supply of high quality
graduates from The Institute's unique educational program
- Twice-per-year technical meetings on the University
of Rochester campus
- Copies of The Institute's annual booklet of Optics
student resumes
- Scheduled interviews with Optics students as part
of the fall or spring meeting
- Interviews with students upon request at The Institute
at times other than Industrial Associates meetings (companies
who are not members do not have this privilege)
- A number of tuition-free seats in The Institute's
Summer School short-course series
- Post job openings on our Job Board for Institute students
and alumni
Members of the Program meet formally twice
each year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Each
meeting features talks by guest speakers, faculty, and graduate
students. Luncheons with faculty, staff, and students and
an evening reception at a local point of interest (e.g.
The George Eastman House, the Memorial Art Gallery, the
Rochester High Falls) add a social dimension to each meeting.
The second day of each meeting is arranged cooperatively
with each company. With staff assistance, representatives
may interview students, meet with faculty, make presentations
to the undergraduate student body, or visit research centers
on campus.
There are three categories of membership.
Small Business Membership
Companies with fewer than 500 employees
Regular Membership
Companies with 500 or more employees
Corporate Sponsorship
Companies with more than 500 employees that may
wish to extend their participation in keeping The Institute
in the forefront of Optics. The benefits of this level of
sponsorship should be discussed with our Director, Wayne
Knox or Associate Director, Gary
Wicks.
To find out more
about the program in general, please contact Gary
Wicks or Wayne
Knox.
For further information about attending
an Industrial Associates meeting, please contact event coordinator
Gayle
Thompson.
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