We Are in a Photonics Revolution | Cheryl Schnitzer | TEDxStonehillCollege

Photonics is the science and practice of manipulating photons, which can be thought of as the smallest packets of light. Analogous to the 20th Century with the electronics revolution, we are now seeing the 21st Century transformed by the photonics revolution, with remarkable benefits and endless applications. Photonic industries are seeking employees at all levels—from technicians to engineers to Ph.D.s, but without photicians, manufacturing will screech to a halt. Imagine how young, developing minds at every level of education could be continually inspired and engaged by learning photonics technologies and their related hands-on skills side-by-side with traditional academic coursework. An Associate Professor in Chemistry at Stonehill College since 2000, Cheryl Schnitzer teaches physical and general chemistry courses and leads an active research group. Since the 1990’s, she has conducted research in spectroscopy, most recently in Stonehill’s femtosecond laser lab. Schnitzer has extended her expertise into integrated photonics by taking online courses and attending and presenting at several conferences. Schnitzer, along with the Department of Physics at Stonehill, has designed programs in optics and photonics in collaboration with other esteemed colleges and universities. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx