PITT INTRODUCES NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN PHOTONICS

PITTSBURGH, September 1 -- Photonics technology can be found in the grocery store, the operating room, the office, and now the classroom. A new University of Pittsburgh Photonics Certificate Program teaches students the technology behind items such as supermarket scanners, surgical lasers, and CD-ROMs.

With grant support from the National Science Foundation and the Research Corporation, Pitt Physics and Astronomy Professor David Snoke organized and directs the program, which will commence in the Fall of 2000.

Photonics, also known as quantum optics, is one of the fastest growing high-tech industries worldwide and is responsible for most of the communications, imaging, and spectroscopy technology used today. Photonics utilizes photons, the particles that make up light, in the same way that electronics uses electrons.

Practical applications of photonics include fiber optics and laser technology, night vision devices, spy satellites, and optical fingerprinting. Future developments in photonics may include quantum teleportation and other quantum mechanical effects which enable the creation of unbreakable codes and ultrafast computers.

"The program is forward-looking," says Snoke. "Optics conferences urge colleges to implement this kind of program. It was my perception that a training program at Pitt would be beneficial, especially because photonics is a combination of disciplines, and few universities have unified programs in this field."

Undergraduates majoring in chemistry, physics, or electrical engineering may enroll at the end of their sophomore year. In the new program students will be encouraged to work in the research laboratories of program faculty. Snoke's current research involves the development of an "optical transistor," whereby one light beam can turn another on and off. Possible practical uses include computers and radios which use optical transistors instead of electrical transistors.

The program will also help place students in jobs when they graduate or adequately prepare them for graduate school. The May 2000 issue of Physics Today reported 3400 job postings in the field and only 300 qualified applicants.

"We anticipate that the high demand for trained individuals should make it relatively easy to find jobs," says Snoke. "Job placement can also be attained by sending students to optics and photonics conferences, where companies seek out students with experience."