The Institute of Optics

Institute of Optics successfully wraps up first Photon Camp for high school students

Last week, 15 students (Class of '14) and three teachers  from West Irondequoit High School participated in Photon Camp, a five-day opportunity for the students to learn about optics and optical engineering through a mix of lectures, visits to labs and field trips to places like Optimax, Photon Gear and the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

The camp focused on four areas:  lectures, lab-work, educational field trips, and a capstone project.  The capstone project was presented on the last day of camp and offered insight in topics like fiber optics, solar energy, LED lighting and many more.

Based on this blog by one of the students, it certainly appears to have been a success! Once again, this was real team effort. Thanks to Daniel Smith, the Institute's undergraduate program director, for organizing this, Jim Zavislan for working tirelessly to set up the labs, and to Daniel, Jim, Julie Bentley, Thomas Brown, Stephen Jacobs, Andrew Berger, Wayne Knox, and Per Adamson of the Institute faculty and staff who helped with the presentations. Special thanks as well to Optics students Hillary Maben, Natalie Pastuszka, Pedro Vallejo-Ramirez, Kara Lambson, and Chris Marsh who each coached and mentored a team of three students.

This is just another fine example of the commendable outreach that's been taking place recently at The Institute of Optics!