Norwich:After
nearly 10 years as Photonics Engineering Technology, Three Rivers’
two-year associate degree program has been renamed: Laser and Fiber
Optic Technology, or LFOT.
According to Division
Director for Technology Programs, Anthony Benoit, “[The word] photonics
remains in use among those familiar with the industry, but has not been
well recognized by high school students, their parents, or high school
teachers.” He added, “The new name is more descriptive of the technology
studied by students in the program.”
Laser and Fiber Optic
Technology was recommended over several possible names considered by the
photonics program’s Industry Advisory Committee. A survey conducted at
Ellis Technical High School in Danielson, Conn. found strong support
among high school students for LFOT. The name was approved by the Board
of Trustees for the Community Technical Colleges at their June 2006
meeting.
According to the New
England Board of Higher Education, which supports photonics education
nationwide through faculty professional development, “Photonics,
described as the practical application of light and optics, is one of
the most pervasive new technologies of the twenty-first century. … As
photonics technology continues to weave itself throughout the fabric of
our economy, the demand for highly skilled photonics technicians will
continue to grow as well.”
Since the first
graduating class in 1999, graduates of the Three Rivers photonics
program have been in demand at photonics-related industries throughout
southern New England. Details on the LFOT program at Three Rivers are
available at
www.lasertechonline.org.
New Laser Manufacturing
Program Offered at TRCC
TRCC will soon be
granting Connecticut’s first associate degree specializing in laser
manufacturing, thanks to a new option to the college’s Manufacturing
Engineering Technology program. The option was approved by the Board of
Trustees at their July meeting, and is part of Three Rivers’ continuing
update of its programs as it readies for a move into new,
state-of-the-art facility in 2008.
Anthony Benoit, Director
of Engineering Technology, commented, "this laser option to the
associate degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology is an important
development in providing Connecticut’s manufacturing companies with
graduates trained in the latest technologies and methods of application.
Manufacturing in Connecticut remains a flexible, dynamic segment of the
economy. But it’s cleaner and requires more knowledge and creativity
than ever before. This program will give students the knowledge and
experience they need to succeed in manufacturing when they graduate and
for years after."
“The job outlook for
graduates with skills in manufacturing and in lasers is phenomenal,”
said Judy Donnelly, coordinator of the Laser and Fiber Optic Technology
associate degree program at the college.
As lasers become
commonplace in the manufacturing environment, technicians require new
knowledge and skills to effectively use laser tools. The new program
curriculum is based on a comprehensive survey of manufacturing firms in
Southern New England that use or build lasers and laser systems,
conducted by the Regional Center for Next Generation manufacturing. The
National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported Center has provided
additional support to Three Rivers’ laser manufacturing initiative,
including faculty support for course development and the purchase of an
Epilog large format laser engraver, used in the college’s Computer
Controlled Laser Manufacturing course. Students conduct experiments with
the engraver to study the effects of laser power, speed, and optics on a
variety of materials.
According to Karen
Wosczyna Birch, executive director of the Connecticut Community
College’s Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing, “The new
laser manufacturing program at Three Rivers is a model program that the
NSF Regional Center for Next Generation Manufacturing is proud to
support. Three Rivers use of industry-driven curriculum is exemplary
and responsive to Connecticut's manufacturing industry's need for highly
skilled technicians who comprise the 21st Century Workforce. Such
programs are critical to the economic stability and growth of
manufacturing in New England and are a win-win for Connecticut's
industry and as well as our community colleges.”
The laser manufacturing
curriculum is an interdisciplinary effort undertaken by Three Rivers’
manufacturing, electronics and photonics programs. Students who choose
the laser manufacturing option will take courses in optics, laser
physics, and specialized laser electronics in addition to the core
program, which includes courses in manufacturing, materials, and
automated controls and systems.
Three
Rivers Professor Awarded Grant to Run Optics Camp
Three Rivers Community College
Professor Judith Donnelly received in August a grant from the
International Society for Optical Engineering, or SPIE, for $3,475.
Donnelly, who created the Photonics Engineering Technology program at
Three Rivers in cooperation with Connecticut’s photonics and fiber
optics industry, wrote the grant proposal with Donna Goyette, a physics
teacher at Ellis Tech High School. The two plan to hold in spring 2007 a
3-day optics camp for high school juniors. Mark Kondracky, a high school
physics teacher from New London High School, will also help with the
camp planning and instruction.
