Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011 - rees2009

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) Página 317 de 957
The Influence of Engineering Education on Optics Education
Lauren Thomas
laurendt@vt.edu
Virginia Tech
United States of America
Lisa McNair
lmcnair@vt.edu
Virginia Tech
United States of America
Abstract: Similar to engineering education, optical engineering and science is a
highly interdisciplinary field relying on knowledge from several different
disciplines and research traditions. Our prior work has indicated that a diffusion
problem exists in optics; despite the value of the resulting products and
applications developed, the field is fairly unrecognizable to the general public
and even other engineers. Photonics and engineering education are modern
disciplines that are developing independently from the disciplines from which
they have emerged. The opportunity for engineering education to have some
influence on optics education seems apparent due to their shared youth. By
exploring optics education research we look for evidence of engineering
education’s influence and identify potential areas of influence.
Introduction
In the United States there are eleven degree granting programs in optics and photonics
with degree offerings from the associate level through Ph.D. The first program opened in
1929 at the University of Rochester (Stroud 2004) followed by the University of Arizona in
1964 (Thomas 2011); several other universities have joined in the past 80 years. As a field,
optics and photonics has developed from basic optics, such as designing microscopes,
telescopes and other practical lens devices to modern technology for high speed
communications, laser devices such as scanners in stores, and laser machining to name a
few. Many consumer technologies such as Blue Ray DVD players are direct results of optics
and photonics innovations, while other consumer goods like cellular phones are indirect
results of the same innovations. The small number of dedicated departments has not
hampered innovation in optics and photonics; through contributions from foundational
and contributing disciplines of electrical engineering, physics, and the other engineering
and physical science areas, many significant technological feats based in optics have been
achieved.
Unfortunately, optics and photonics are not well known. Our prior research (Thomas
2011) indicated that graduates, faculty, and optics students have to explain what exactly
optics and photonics is about, even to other scientists and engineers. Homophily, within
the field is another challenge for optics and photonics. Many of the optics and photonics
programs trade graduates, faculty, and resources, while small, emerging companies born
within the optics circle. Closed conversation within the field has limited the opportunity
Proceedings of Research in Engineering Education Symposium 2011
Madrid, 4 th - 7 th October 2011