CREOL Summer Camp Gives Students a Hands-On Look at the Future of Photonics
More than 50 high school students from across the U.S. and abroad explored optics through hands-on labs, faculty mentorship and student-led activities.
For three weeks this summer, more than 50 high school students traded traditional classrooms for research labs as they explored the science of light at CREOL’s Laser and Photonics Summer Camp.
The annual program welcomed students from across Florida as well as Ohio and Mexico, introducing them to the many ways optics and photonics impact everyday life through hands-on experiments, faculty presentations and campus experiences. Along the way, campers also discovered Florida’s only bachelor’s degree in Photonic Science and Engineering.
One of this summer’s newest activities gave students the chance to experience one of the technologies that keeps the modern world connected. Designed by CREOL senior Zack Mears, the optical fiber laboratory introduced students to the process of repairing optical fibers—the tiny strands of glass that carry information through the internet and communication networks.
Using specialized microscopes capable of magnifying objects smaller than a plant cell, campers examined optical fibers before using optical power meters to measure the amount of light traveling through them. The exercise provided a glimpse into the tools and techniques used by engineers and technicians working in fiber optic communications. The task requires remarkable precision, something camp instructor Bill Young described as being “like carefully putting a cassette tape back together, but on a microscopic scale.”
Jennifer Chen, a rising sophomore at Orlando Science High School, said the fiber splicing activity was her favorite part of the camp.
“I would recommend this camp to students who enjoy hands-on activities,” Chen said. “It helped me build my communication skills and learn how to work more effectively as part of a team while paying close attention to detail.”
For Mears, designing the activity was also an opportunity to share his passion for photonics with the next generation of students.
“As an optics student, I’ve spent countless hours learning hands on techniques in the lab. I was excited to be invited to teach the students something I’ve learned here,” said Mears. “I thought Fiber would be a great topic to give the students hands on experience as it requires precision, patience, and the ability to work with a range of optical instruments that I did not have access to until I joined CREOL. Not only did they get to work with a key component of a rapidly growing industry but also got experience solving problems that optical engineers have to overcome every day.”
Mears was one of several CREOL undergraduate assistants who spent the summer mentoring campers, helping guide experiments, answer questions and share their own experiences studying photonics at UCF. The peer-to-peer environment gave high school students a chance to learn from mentors who were recently in their shoes while seeing what life as a CREOL student is really like.
“One of the most rewarding parts of working with the summer camp has been watching students discover how exciting photonics can be,” said Undergraduate Student Assistant, Chad Jordan. “I’ve enjoyed teaching hands-on activities, sharing my experiences as a CREOL student, and helping campers see the many opportunities available in science and engineering. Seeing their confidence grow throughout the program and knowing that some of them may become the next generation of photonics engineers is incredibly inspiring.”
Throughout the camp, students also explored lasers, optics, electronics and engineering through hands-on projects designed to demonstrate how light is used in technologies ranging from telecommunications and manufacturing to medicine and space exploration.
The camp is part of CREOL’s ongoing commitment to expanding awareness of photonics and encouraging students to consider careers in one of the nation’s fastest-growing STEM fields. As Florida’s only undergraduate program in Photonic Science and Engineering, CREOL offers students a unique pathway into an industry that continues to see strong demand for skilled engineers and researchers.
By working alongside CREOL’s undergraduate students, campers gained a unique perspective on what it’s like to study photonics at UCF while experiencing the hands-on approach that defines the program.
