Laser related jobs

[Rhith]

Some good info in here. I know UCF has a wonderful photonics devision. I was told that the three main places for photonics/lasers in the US are UCF in FL and a college each in Nevada and New York. [Don't know which schools though sorry!] Personally I'm beginning my freshman year and Indian River 'Community' College [Starting 4 year programs] and I'll be there for two years working on a transfer degree in engineering to move onto UCF with guaranteed acceptance. Keep in mind if you're looking at the EET field that the beginning of it is a lot of math a science! I have 2.5 years of math for my transfer degree and I've already taken half a year while in HS. Best of luck to you though!

 

[FrothyChimp]

When it came to mathematics I found the best way to absorb it all was to not stop. I took courses during summer semesters so as not to have a break from math. Another piece of advice: If you have to learn anything make sure you study like there is no tomorrow for the college algebra, the trigonometry, and the first 3 basic calculus courses (derivation, integration, partial derivatives-multivariant calculus). This stuff will keep creeping back to haunt you if you don't have it down pat. One of my calculus instructors used to say, "Nothing ruins a good calculus problem like bad algebra." He also used to say that if you screw up the algebra you should be taken out and shot.

 

[Abray]

I might try to take some summer courses if I can find any quality ones... so far the only summer school I know of is VERY limited. The semesters are only a week or two long, and it's ridiculously easy.

As for colleges, I'm trying to find one inside of Texas, and was very disappointed when I found that Texas has no ITT universities that have their School of Electronics Technology. I may look at Texas A&M's engineering programs, as that school is close to where I live, and I've heard it's a good engineering school.

 

[nikokapo]

Sales Engineering is a very lucrative job as you are often paired with a salesman. You are the one who goes with the salesman to a customer location and determines what they need based on their specifications. The salesman then makes the sale and you engineer the customer's solution and oversee the installation at each site. Plus many of the SE's as they are called not only get a salary but also a part of the commission for the sale. I did that for many years. Lots of travel, all kinds of problems to solve, and of course the paid lunches for the potential clients were always tasty.

I like this! thank god i entered industrial engineering

When it came to mathematics I found the best way to absorb it all was to not stop. I took courses during summer semesters so as not to have a break from math. Another piece of advice: If you have to learn anything make sure you study like there is no tomorrow for the college algebra, the trigonometry, and the first 3 basic calculus courses (derivation, integration, partial derivatives-multivariant calculus). This stuff will keep creeping back to haunt you if you don't have it down pat. One of my calculus instructors used to say, "Nothing ruins a good calculus problem like bad algebra." He also used to say that if you screw up the algebra you should be taken out and shot.

Got that. Now they're just bombarding us with series and integrals, i've seen it before but not on uni level


Oh..and extremists should be shot in the head

And as far as the suicide talk goes it is total crap. Every class in challenging or you wouldnt need to take it. Some are hard, not just challenging. But you always will have taken the class before the class you are taking now before you take it so it isnt like it gets harder, it is always just challenging. If you are interested in doing it eventually you just know how and it is really easy. Dont let talk of things being hard influence you too much. If I can do it, anyone can (I sucked at math when I started).

Nobody said DON'T go into that, it is hard, but it is rewarding

 

[pullbangdead]

For a different kind of lasers, take materials science to work on diode lasers. Materials scientists are the ones really making laser diodes, and solving all the problems to make new kinds of laser diodes work and work better. It's difficult, but very rewarding.

I got my undergraduate in materials, and I am now starting on my Ph.D on a full ride + generous stipend in one of the top 5 materials programs in the country. For my research, I am working on the next generation of gallium nitride laser diodes, true blue and green, so it's a dream come true.

There's money in engineering graduate schools. Science is tougher, but with top engineering programs like the one I'm in, companies and government pay for the research that you're doing and you get the benefit of complete payment for your graduate degree while doing research that you're interested in. And with a degree in materials science, any degree, there will always be jobs. Government and government contractors were beating down our department's doors for materials students with bachelor's degrees. Out of my graduating class in materials, every single person who wanted a job had one before even graduating, and the rest of us were accepted into our top choices of graduate schools. Materials science and engineering rocks.

You think electrical engineers or computer scientists are responsible for Moore's Law and the extreme performance of our computers nowadays? Nope, it's all materials science.

 

[Abray]

hmm, I never even knew there was a materials science!! Now I have to start looking for colleges with THAT too!