Midwest Photonics Education Center

光子学，结合光学和电子学（激光、光纤、光电）的技术，是一个迅速发展的领域，为技术人员提供了有价值的工作，并为中西部经济增长提供了极好的机会。光子学也是一种“使能技术”，在制造/材料加工、国防/国土安全、可再生能源、电信、诊断和治疗医疗设备、环境监测、光电/纳米技术和固态照明等领域都有广泛的应用。近年来，全国范围内对合格的光电技术人员的需求持续增长。2012年，一项名为“对光学和光子学技术两年制大学毕业生的行业需求”的全国性调查报告称，中西部地区500家光子学驱动型公司预计在未来五年内需要额外的939名技术人员。印度山社区学院将建立并运营中西部光电教育中心（MPEC）。该中心的目标是：1)增加中西部地区受过良好教育的光子技术人员的供应；2)在先进制造和激光材料加工的光子应用方面成为全国的领导者。MPEC将通过在中西部大学建立和加强两年制光子学教育项目的数量、能力和质量来实现这些目标。MPEC的地理区域包括美国爱荷华州、伊利诺伊州、密歇根州、密苏里州、俄亥俄州、内布拉斯加州、明尼苏达州、印第安纳州和威斯康星州。MPEC将支持和协调各机构的努力：提供技术援助，制定课程，评估行业需求，开展外展活动，制定和实施招收和留住包括妇女、少数民族和退伍军人在内的学生的战略，并为在职技术人员和失业工人提供灵活的培训。MPEC将传播激光在先进制造业中的最新应用信息，提高中学生、家长和教师对光子学、光子学技术人员和光子学职业机会的认识。该中心将为高中和社区大学的学生培养高薪、高增长的技术工作。通过该中心的活动，中西部的雇主将获得有关提供光子学技术教育的大学的基本信息，并有机会为新员工招聘光子学毕业生。此外，雇主将有机会提供输入和监督光子学课程的内容。中心活动的成果将为雇主提供更多的高技能新员工选择，刺激中西部激光制造公司的经济发展，并建立和加强中西部地区两年制大学的光电教育能力和质量。

Photonics, the technology that incorporates optics and electronics (lasers, fiber-optics, electro-optics), is a rapidly expanding field that provides rewarding jobs for technicians and excellent opportunities for Midwest economic growth. Photonics is also an "enabling technology", with wide-scale applications in manufacturing/materials processing, as well as in defense/homeland security, renewable energy, telecommunications, diagnostic and therapeutic medical equipment, environmental monitoring, opto-electronics/nanotechnology and solid state lighting. The employer demand for qualified photonics technicians nationwide is great and has continued to grow in recent years. In 2012, a national survey titled "Industry Demand for Two-Year College Graduates in Optics and Photonics Technology" reported that the Midwest region's 500 photonics-driven companies project a need for an additional 939 technicians over the next five years. Indian Hills Community College will establish and operate the Midwest Photonics Education Center (MPEC). The Center's goals are 1) to increase the supply of well-educated photonics technicians in the Midwest, and 2) to serve as the national leader in photonics applications for advanced manufacturing and laser materials processing. MPEC will accomplish these goals by building and strengthening the number, capacity and quality of two-year photonics education programs in Midwest colleges. MPEC's geographical region includes the U.S. states of Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, and Wisconsin. MPEC will support and coordinate efforts by institutions to: provide technical assistance, develop curricula, assess industry needs, perform outreach activities, develop and implement strategies to recruit and retain students including women, minorities and veterans and offer flexible training for incumbent technicians and dislocated workers.MPEC will disseminate new information on laser applications in advanced manufacturing and raise the awareness of high school students, parents and teachers about photonics, photonics technicians and photonics career opportunities. The Center will cultivate pathways to high-wage, high growth technical jobs for high school and community college students. Through the Center's activities Midwest employers will gain essential information about colleges that offer photonics technical education and have access to photonics graduates for new hires. Moreover employers will have the opportunity to provide input and have oversight on the content of photonics curricula. The outcomes of center activities will provide employers more options for highly skilled new hires, stimulate the economic development of laser manufacturing companies in the Midwest, and build and strengthen the capacity and quality of photonics education in two-year colleges in the Midwest region.