Development of a Laboratory for Lightwave Communications

三江社区技术学院(TRCTC)技术系正在通过开发一个光波通信实验室来加强其光子学工程技术课程。电信业的放松管制和全球化导致对受过光波通信教育的技术人员的需求迅速增加。最近一项由联邦政府资助的研究预测，到2000年，对包括光纤技术人员在内的光子学技术人员的需求将几乎翻一番，达到740,000人。1997年春，康涅狄格州光子学产业集群的一次会议描述了该州对技术人员的迫切需求，并敦促加强该州社区技术学院的光纤项目。为了满足这一需求，光波通信实验室正在为学生提供最先进的光纤通信系统的体验。每个站点都模拟了一个“真实世界”的光波通信系统，能够通过几公里长的光纤传输几千兆位的信息。获得实践经验的机会为学生在光子学或电信领域的职业生涯做好了更好的准备，或者在学士学位水平上继续深造。

The Technology Department of Three Rivers Community-Technical College(TRCTC) is enhancing its curriculum in Photonics Engineering Technology through the development of a Lightwave Communications Laboratory. Thederegulation and globalization of the telecommunications industry has resulted in a rapid increase in the demand for technicians educated in lightwave communications. A recent federally funded study predicted that the demand for photonics technicians, including fiber optics technicians, would nearly double to 740,000 by the year 2000. A meeting of the Connecticut Photonics Industry Cluster inthe Spring of 1997 described a critical need for technicians in the state, and urged that fiber optics programs at the State's Community-Technical Colleges be strengthened. To address this need, the Lightwave Communications Laboratory is providing students with experience with a state-of-the-art fiber optic communication system. Each station emulates a "real world" lightwave communication system, capable of transmitting multi-gigabit information through several kilometers of optical fiber. The opportunity to gain hands-on experience better prepares students for careers in photonics or telecommunications or to pursue additional studies at the baccalaureate level.