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Industrial Affiliates Membership

Become a CREOL Industrial Affiliate Member

Membership in the Industrial Affiliates (IA) program provides to industrial corporations, organizations, and individuals many benefits, most of which are also of mutual benefit to The College of Optics and Photonics. One of these mutual benefits is the regular communication and contact the program provides between the research faculty and students at the College and the IA member company’s engineers and scientists who are developing new technologies and products for their business. 

Membership Benefits

  • Establishing a close association with this leading institute in optics, lasers, and photonics.
  • Exposure to the latest research and developments in cutting edge technologies.
  • Priority external access to CREOL’s nanofabrication facilities.
  • Availability of sophisticated measurement, test, and calibration facilities.
  • Early notice of students approaching graduation (the next generation of experts in the field).
  • Ability to post your job openings on our website (exclusive benefit for IA members).
  • Close interactions with our faculty, each of whom are leaders in their fields.
  • Opportunity to make presentations about your company and products to the faculty and students of the College.
  • Opportunity to participate in our Industrial Advisory Board, a committee of our senior stakeholders that provides advice on the long-term direction of CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics.
  • Copies of the College’s periodic newsletter, Highlights.
  • Notification of seminars at the College.
  • Opportunity for free presentation space at our annual Industrial Affiliates Symposium meeting (subject to availability).
  • Several Web-based benefits, including linkage to your company’s web site from the College website.
  • For companies who donate equipment, getting their hardware/software in the hands of some of the leading researchers – faculty and students– in the field provides visibility to future customer prospects and information on its impact in leading-edge research.
  • Demonstration by the company of their support of The College Of Optics & Photonics, its research programs, and its effective corporate cooperation and partnership activities.

In addition, we use many mechanisms to give visibility to our Industrial Affiliates that can be valuable to them in marketing their products. Wherever possible, the level of the membership is indicated. Examples of current practices include:

  • Special recognition at the annual Industrial Affiliates Symposium.
  • Listing in other CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics publications, where appropriate, including on CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics website (with a link to the company’s website).
  • Company name plaque prominently displayed in the entrance lobby of the CREOL building of CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics.

There are also many intangible benefits that accrue from association with this dynamic research and education institution. Among these are facilitated access to and collaboration with other specialized facilities within the University of Central Florida and the central Florida area. In addition to resources in the Center for Research & Education in Optics & Lasers (CREOL), and the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence (FPCE). UCF facilities include the following major research centers:

The College’s faculty and students play leading roles in both local and international professional associations and can provide effective introductions to the extensive network of industry and expertise to which CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics connects. Through the IA program, your company can also readily connect with other optics, photonics, and industrial organizations through local Florida organizations in which the College maintains an active participation, including the Florida Photonics Cluster (FPC), the Laser Institute of America (LIA), Florida High Technology Corridor Council (FHTCC), the UCF Technology Incubator — ranked #1 in the US in 2004 — and a large family of laser and optics companies in the Central Florida region.

Membership Levels

There are three paid levels of membership in the Industrial Affiliates Program.

  • Medallion Member: Any corporation or organization making a donation of $10,000 or more in cash annually.
  • Corporate Member: Corporations and organizations with more than 200 employees.
  • Senior Member: Corporations and organizations with 200 employees or less .

* In limited circumstances, membership may also be obtained based on donations of equipment (hardware/software) or services. These are negotiated on a case-by-case basis depending on the commercial value and value to CREOL’s education and research efforts. Generally, the membership equivalency is equal to three times (3x) the cash value of a membership level with no more than three (3) consecutive years of applied membership. Please email affiliates@creol.ucf.edu for more information.

To join the College of Optics and Photonics Industrial Affiliates Program, please fill out this Membership Application and you will be contacted with further information.

Membership Form