A National Model for Photonics Proficiency in Undergraduate Electrical Engineering

光子学正在成为一项普及的技术，其应用范围从消费产品（CD播放器和激光打印机）到社会基础设施和国防（智能高速公路和光控雷达）。因此，光子学被认为是电气工程（EE）课程的一个组成部分。由于迄今为止在本科电子工程课程中还没有开设传统的光子学课程，所以大多数大学仍然将光子学教育作为课程的充实。因此，不同的大学强调光子学的不同方面，很大程度上遵循教师的专业知识或研究兴趣，这种情况可能无法有效地解决学生的长期职业能力和工业需求。随着光子学技术的日益重要及其在工业上的需求，每个本科电子工程专业的学生都应该掌握光子学的最低标准熟练程度。在这种情况下，这个项目正在改变电子工程本科光子学教育的范式。而不是把它作为一种充实，光子学将作为一门必修课来教授。一个光子学熟练程度标准——一个知识和技术基础的集合——正在被确定并纳入光子学的必修课程，包括课堂教学和实验室经验。初步光子学熟练标准包括实验室安全、几何和物理光学、激光和探测器、光波调制和光通信。正在开发一系列10个实验室，每个实验室都与光子学应用的特定领域有关，以补充并进一步协同课堂教学。在本项目的实施过程中，不断完善光子学水平标准和课程设置，力争成为电子电气专业光子学教育的全国样板。最后，可以出版一本本科教材，并附带实验室手册以供分发。

Photonics is becoming a pervasive technology, with applications ranging from consumer products (CD players and laser printers) to social infrastructure and defense (intelligent highways and optically controlled radars). As a result, photonics is being recognized as an integral part of the electrical engineering (EE) curriculum. Because it has not been traditionally offered in undergraduate EE to date, most universities still regard photonics education as curriculum enrichment. As such, different aspects of photonics are emphasized in different universities, largely following the expertise or research interests of the faculty members, a situation that may not address effectively students' long-term career abilities and industrial needs. The growing importance of photonics technology and its needs in industry dictate that every undergraduate EE student should acquire a minimum standard proficiency in photonics. In this vein, this project is shifting the paradigm in undergraduate photonics education in EE. Instead of treating it as an enrichment, photonics will be taught as a requirement. A photonics proficiency standard_a collection of knowledge and technology base_is being identified and incorporated into a required course in photonics involving both classroom instruction and laboratory experience. The preliminary photonics proficiency standard includes laboratory safety, geometrical and physical optics, lasers and detectors, lightwave modulation, and optical communications. A series of 10 labs, each associated with particular areas of photonics applications, is being developed to complement and, moreover, synergize with classroom instructions. The photonics proficiency standard and the curriculum are being refined in the course of this project so as to serve as a national model for photonics education in EE. Finally, an undergraduate textbook with a companion laboratory manual can be published for dissemination.