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TSTC News
$5 million National Science Foundation Grant Awarded
Friday, September 22, 2006 - Marketing & Communications |
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Congressman Chet Edwards today announced a $5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that will establish the National Center for Optics and Photonics Education (OP-TEC) in Waco. The grant was awarded to the Waco-based educational nonprofit CORD, the Center for Occupational Research and Development. CORD will partner with nine colleges from across the country to carry out the work of the four-year NSF project. The Texas State Technical College System is the largest grantee among the partner colleges.
Only one NSF grant to establish a national center was awarded this year through the agency’s Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. The grant represents a significant partnership led by CORD with support from TSTC that will assist two-year colleges across the United Statesin developing and expanding educational programs in cutting-edge, high-demand technologies that require photonics.
According to Dan Hull, CORD’s outgoing CEO who will create and direct OP-TEC, “The Center will assure an adequate supply of highly-trained engineering technicians to maintain our country’s technical and economic dominance in photonics, lasers and related technologies. Our job will be to provide highly rewarding careers for America’s youth in emerging and expanding technologies.”
While not a household word, photonics makes possible everyday items such as bar code scanners and remote control devices. Photonics is the technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radian energy whose quantum unit is the photon. Photonics involves cutting-edge users of lasers, optics, fiber-optics, and electro-optical devices in fields as diverse as manufacturing, health care, telecommunication, environmental monitoring, homeland security, and aerospace.
Rapid growth in the number and complexity of photonics and photonics-enabled technologies has caused the demand for technicians in the field to exceed supply. A recent survey[1] ( about:blank#_ftn1 )of employers indicates that the number of technical jobs in photonics and photonics-enabled technologies is expected to grow more than 1800 per year in the U.S. through 2009. The current supply of qualified two-year college graduates, barely 120 per year, falls far short of the industry’s demand.
The OP-TEC center has several goals, all of which are aimed at helping high schools and colleges work together to provide career pathways in which students begin the pursuit of technology oriented careers early and transition seamlessly into college programs. OP-TEC’s efforts will enable students to qualify for a far wider range of jobs that are “enabled” by photonics, help meet the increasing demand for photonics technicians and strengthen the global competitiveness of America’s workforce.
The OP-TEC center will be housed at CORD but TSTC will play an integral role as a college partner, developing career pathway programs that will graduate technicians in laser electro-optics, semiconductor technology and nanotechnology. Elton E. Stuckly, Jr., President of TSTC Waco said, “TSTC brings to the table more than 35 years of experience in offering laser electro-optics technology programs. Our faculty and staff are excited about the opportunity to partner with CORD on a project of such national significance.”
In addition to CORD and TSTC, Waco’s other institutions of higher education are also engaged in the project. Baylor University and McLennan Community College will collaborate to provide the evaluation services for the Center, which involve documenting the project’s progress and offering guidance to project partners. Eight additional community and technical colleges, three other universities, and a wide range of industry partners will also be involved in the project.
Related Links:
OP-TEC
TSTC Waco Laser-Electro Optics
TSTC Waco Semiconductor Manufacturing
TSTC Waco Nanotechnology
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