Ambassadors and Chapters Driving Optics Education and Career Advancement – Optics & Photonics News

Supporting optics and photonics education

When an Optica Ambassador combines professional expertise with a passion for engaging students, what often results is a strategic collaboration between that ambassador and an Optica Student Chapter. While the main goal of these partnerships is often to bring optics education to a broader community, at the same time they draw out the potential of each member of the student chapter, provide leadership opportunities for both the Ambassador and the chapter and support optics and photonics awareness on a global scale. In short, these collaborations deliver a recipe for success.

International Day of Light celebration in Colombia

For instance, on 16 to 17 May, I linked up with the Technological University of Pereira Optica Student Chapter in Colombia to celebrate the International Day of Light by promoting low-cost research efforts that can be applied as basic education in schools. The talks and workshops were designed to promote scientific vocations in young people, while teaching them about the main phenomena related to light.

My goal was to demonstrate that it is possible to do science and outreach despite global challenges. The student chapter members were surprised to see how accessible outreach can be, and at the same time, they learned more about the planning needed for a successful outreach activity.

Because optics education is important for both the one who receives it and for the one who imparts it. For those who receive it, from a very young age, they realize that much of the technology they use today is based on optics. For those who teach, it is always exciting to see how young people marvel at optical phenomena, which allows one to remain enthusiastic about teaching.

Driving professional development

In addition to community education, ambassadors and student chapters partner to provide career guidance, offering new insights into the potential paths young professionals can take in these fields. For instance, Optica 2016 Ambassador Aline Dinkelaker joined the Berlin Optik Student Chapter at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, on 7 May, 2024, for a career event entitled, “Working in Photonics 2024/Accelerate your Career in Physics.” This forum, co-organized with OpTecBB, sought to provide physics students and graduates with insights into possible career paths in research and industry.

East African Summer School in Optics and Lasers

In many cases, ambassadors amplify the spirit of student chapter activities, but many chapters are ambitious on their own. Take, for example, the work of the new Optica Maasai Mara Student Chapter and the Multimedia University of Kenya, as they partnered with the National Institute of Optics and Lasers to host the East African Summer School in Optics and Lasers. With over 120 attendees, this event fueled international collaboration via hands-on sessions, poster presentations, and talks by Optica President Gerd Leuchs along with other luminaries. It provided important optics education to the community throughout the two-week program. Attendees left feeling more confident in their skills and knowledge and having gained a global network to support their future endeavors.

International Summer School – Horizons in Holography

Or consider a similar event—The International Summer School – Horizons in Holography—put on by the Technical University Dublin Optica Student Chapter in Ireland. The event featured 18 lectures by international scientists from around the globe, covering a wide range of topics, such as vision, virtual reality and diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition, there were three hands-on lab sessions, and a series of networking events that included excursions, dinners, and a walking tour in Dublin. The event’s goal was to promote student collaboration and skill development through project presentations and peer explanations, with the hope of inspiring enthusiasm for a future in optics.

Building a future in optics

Collaborations like these bring optics to life in tangible, accessible ways. In fact, while I was serving as a student leader at the Optica Student Chapter at Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica A.C. (CIO) in Mexico, it was Optica Ambassadors who first motivated me to become a champion of the field. The work and enthusiasm of Maria Viñas, Gabrielle Thomas, Antigone Marino and Samuel Serna were instrumental for me because they represented me in different ways: Maria, Gabrielle and Antigone as women in the field; and Samuel as a Latin American.

As a chapter leader, I learned empathy, tolerance, patience, organization, and to celebrate each achievement along the way. In addition, the relationships I gained as a member of my student chapter, and later in my role as an Optica Ambassador, helped me build the global network I have today—one I am confident will grow and support me in all phases of my career. My network also helps me feel safe to continue advancing new ideas.

Enabled by the support of the Optica Foundation, Optica Ambassadors and Student Chapters unite the global optics and photonics community. They are crucial to sparking an enduring passion for the field, its impact on the world at large, and its ability to facilitate important change. And they are there to build one another up, one ambassador, and one chapter at a time.

Sometimes when I feel that what I do does not impact my environment, my network of contacts helps me see how the environment is slowly changing, thanks to joint efforts, like those supported by the Optica Foundation.

Ana Karen Reyes, Universidad Tecnologica de Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico, is an Optica 2024 Ambassador.

For more information on the Optica Ambassador or Student Chapter programs, visit optica.org/Foundation.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university.
   • Indicator 4.3.1: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months.

   The article highlights the collaborations between Optica Ambassadors and Student Chapters to promote optics education and scientific vocations in young people. This aligns with SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The specific target 4.3, which focuses on equal access to affordable and quality technical and tertiary education, is relevant to the article’s content. The indicator 4.3.1, which measures the participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training, can be used to track progress towards this target.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.
   • Indicator 8.6.1: Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment, or training.

   The article mentions how Optica Ambassadors and Student Chapters provide career guidance and insights into possible career paths in optics and photonics. This relates to SDG 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. The specific target 8.6, which focuses on reducing the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training, is relevant to the article’s content. The indicator 8.6.1, which measures the proportion of youth not in education, employment, or training, can be used to measure progress towards this target.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • Indicator 17.17.1: Amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships.

   The article emphasizes the collaborations between Optica Ambassadors, Student Chapters, and various organizations and institutes. This aligns with SDG 17, which aims to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. The specific target 17.17, which focuses on promoting effective partnerships, is relevant to the article’s content. The indicator 17.17.1, which measures the amount of United States dollars committed to public-private and civil society partnerships, can be used to measure progress towards this target.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: optica-opn.org