CAREER: Improvement and Integration of Laser-based Sensors for Advanced Situational Awareness: A Combined Research and Education Program for Students in Lasers and Optics

夏威夷大学系统是一所不同于其他任何教育机构的教育机构，因为它的地理位置偏远，历史文化丰富，学生人数众多。它在我们国家的大学中是独一无二的，需要同样独特的研究和教育方法。其他机构不存在的文化和地理问题几乎渗透到我们大学职能的方方面面。这些可以在行政部门、教职员工和学生之间创造一种团结的感觉，或者是一种分裂的感觉；因此，在任何研究和教育计划中考虑当地的文化动态是必不可少的。这项为期5年的职业发展计划致力于夏威夷大学的独特性，并寻求增加本科生和研究生的招生人数，学生参与研究的机会，以及工程学院内部的多样性。该计划的一个关键方面是与当地文化动态合作，在夏威夷和大陆树立工程学院的积极形象。拟议的计划是一个综合的研究/教育/推广方案。旨在鼓励学生攻读研究生学位，同时为他们提供激光和光学领域的开放式合作研究项目的经验。这里提出的研究涉及光学传感器的基础研究和开发，特别是低成本、高效率的激光二极管和基于LED的传感器。将开发各种创新的光学传感器，应用范围从生物医学监测到目标跟踪。我将在以前气体传感工作的基础上，优化传感器的灵敏度，同时使传感器微型化。将探索创新的调制技术，以提高测量参数的准确性。这一点的核心是采用更高谐波检测的波长调制技术。这项研究的重点将不仅是开发新型传感器，而且还将这些传感器集成到传感器网络中。专注于光学传感器集成的动机是为了通过环境、军事和商业分析中具有成本效益的强大系统来满足对多维环境中不断升级的态势感知的需求。在这个研究项目中将出现所有级别的理论、实验和实践问题，使其非常适合由从大二到博士的不同学术水平的个人组成的学生团队参与。将本科生纳入传统的研究生工作有三个理由：(1)实践研究项目让他们有机会应用在课程工作中学到的知识；(2)让他们接触开放式研究问题，让他们对研究生院所涉及的内容有一种感觉，并可以鼓励他们攻读研究生学位；(3)本科生通常是学术界尚未开发的资源：如果有合适的机会，学生通常会非常积极和非常有创造力。我打算使用这种以团队为导向的方法，向夏威夷大学马诺阿分校的工程学院提出和实施科学硕士加速方案。这项计划将允许表现最好的学生在获得学士学位的一年内获得理学硕士学位和一篇论文。这项计划将是工程学院的第一个此类计划，并将对学院目前增加招生的倡议做出重大贡献。此外，这个互动节目将对当地社区产生积极影响，原因有两个。首先，高科技研究吸引了中国大陆和日本的关注，这在帮助平衡以旅游业为基础的经济方面发挥了至关重要的作用。其次，在当前的就业市场上，拥有研究生学位、拥有扎实教育和良好实践经验的工程师的需求量很大，这是这个紧密联系的社区中备受推崇的资产。在当地社区中建立积极的形象是夏威夷最有效的外展形式。

The University of Hawaii system is an educational institution unlike any other, due to its remote location, culturally rich history, and locally populated student body. It is unique among our nation's universities and requires an equally unique approach to research and education. Cultural and geographic issues that do not exist at other institutions filter into nearly every facet of our function as a university. These can create a sense of unity among the administration, faculty, and students, or a sense of division; therefore, it is essential to consider the local cultural dynamics in any research and educational plan. This 5-year career development plan addresses the uniqueness of the University of Hawai'i and seeks to increase undergraduate and graduate enrollment, student research participation, and diversity within the College of Engineering. A key aspect of this plan is working with the local cultural dynamics to foster a positive image for the College of Engineering within the state of Hawai'i, as well as the Mainland. The proposed plan is an integrated research/education/outreach program. intended to encourage students to pursue graduate degrees, while providing them the experience of open-ended collaborative research projects in the areas of lasers and optics.The research proposed here involves fundamental investigation and development of optical sensors; particularly low-cost, high-efficiency, laser diode and LED-based sensors. Various innovative optical sensors will be developed with applications ranging from biomedical monitoring to target tracking. I will build upon previous work in gas sensing to optimize sensitivity, while miniaturizing the sensor. Innovative modulation techniques will be explored for increased accuracy to measured parameters. Central to this is the wavelength modulation technique employing higher harmonic detection. The focus of this research will not only be on the development of novel sensors, but also on the integration of such sensors in a sensor network. The motivation for concentrating on integration of optical sensors is to address the escalating need for situational awareness over multidimensional environments with a cost-effective robust system in environmental, military, and commercial analysis.Theoretical, experimental, and practical issues of all levels will arise in this research project, making it ideally suited for teams of students, composed of individuals at various academic levels ranging from sophomore to Ph.D., to participate. The rationale for including undergraduate students in what is traditionally graduate work, is threefold: (1) hands-on research projects give them the opportunity to apply the knowledge learned in their course work; (2) exposing them to open-ended research problems gives them a feel for what is involved in graduate school and can encourage them to pursue graduate degrees; and (3) undergraduate students are typically an untapped resource in academia: given the right opportunity, students are often highly motivated and extremely creative. I intend to use this team-oriented approach to propose and implement an accelerated Masters of Science Option to the College of Engineering at the University of Hawai'i Manoa campus. This program would allow top performing students to get a Masters of Science with a thesis within one year of their Bachelors degree. This plan would be the first of its kind in the College of Engineering and would contribute significantly to the College's current initiative to boost enrollment. Furthermore, this interactive program would have a positive impact on the local community for two reasons. First, high-tech research draws attention from the mainland, as well as Japan, which can play an essential part in helping to balance the tourism-based economy. Second, engineers with graduate degrees and having a solid education and good practical experience are in high demand in the current job market, an asset highly revered in this tight-knit community. Creating a positive image within the local community is the most effective form of outreach here in Hawaii.