Abstract
An interdisciplinary Masters Program with a concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology has been developed under the U.S. Manufacturing Education and Training Activity of the Technology Reinvestment Project. This development has been a collaboration between the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama A&M University, Northwest Shoals Community College, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Army Missile Command, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Advanced Optical Systems Inc., Dynetics, Inc., Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Nichols Research and Speedring Inc. These organizations as well as the National Institute for Standards and Technology and SCI, Inc., have been participating fully in the design, development and implementation of this program. This program will produce highly trained graduates who can also solve practical problems, and includes an on-site practicum at a manufacturing location. The broad curriculum of this program emphasizes the fundamentals of optics, optical systems manufacturing and testing, and the principles of design and manufacturing to cost for commercial products. The MS in Physics and MSE in Electrical Engineering Degrees with concentration in Optics and Photonics Technology are offered by the respective UAH academic departments with support from and in consultation with a Steering Committee composed of representatives from each of the participating organizations, and a student representative from UAH.
