FLINT – Roger Fischer and Dennis LaPorte, Baker College of
Flint students, have each been awarded a $1,500 scholarship funded by Mi-Light,
the Michigan photonics cluster, to pursue an associate degree in photonics and
laser technology.
Photonics is the science of using a photon, a unit of light,
to generate energy or to detect or transmit information. Photonics technicians
fix machines, manufacture and assemble products, and perform testing. Students
in the Baker program learn to build, test, modify, install, operate, calibrate,
maintain and repair laser and electro-optic devices and systems.
“We are proud of the interest and dedication that Roger and Dennis have
demonstrated in photonics and lasers and are honored by the support of
Mi-Light,” said Anca Sala, Ph.D., Baker College of Flint dean of engineering
and computer technology. “New technology brings new career and business
opportunities. Photonics will also help diversify Michigan’s economy just by
the sheer number of industries it influences.”
Mi-Light, established in late 2012, is a not-for-profit organization serving
Michigan’s photonics industry. One of its goals is to grow the state’s talent
pool in order to expand the photonics industry and stimulate innovation.
Michelle Stock, Ph.D., Mi-Light chairperson said: “Having members such as Baker
College helps the Michigan photonics industry to foster education and development
of the skilled workforce required by photonics technology companies here in
Michigan and beyond. We appreciate the effort that has gone into developing the
photonics and laser technology program at Baker College, and are pleased to
provide scholarships to support its students.”
The recipients were selected based on academic success and a one-page essay in
which applicants identified three favorite photonics and laser applications.
Roger Fischer, of Almont, was drawn to study lasers because of their growing
use in a wide variety of industries. He earned an associate degree in
electronic technology at Baker College in 2013 and used the Mi-Light
scholarship to complete the photonics and laser technology degree this summer.
“In industrial manufacturing, lasers can cut, drill and mark a variety of
materials – wood, plastics, fibers and metals – with greater accuracy than
traditional methods,” he said. “I’m fascinated by their use in holography, and
the U.S. military is rapidly discovering new ways to harness the power of
lasers for weaponry applications. It’s exciting to be in a field that is
relatively new and expanding.”
New uses of photonics and lasers in the medical industry attracted Dennis
LaPorte, of Fenton, to the Baker College program. He works at Animal Health
Clinic, Fenton, maintaining the building systems and equipment, including
radiography machines and a surgical laser.
He personally experienced a non-invasive surgery, made possible by laser
technology, after which he drove himself home. The alternative surgery option
would require a long, painful recovery period.
“I am continually impressed with the extraordinary applications of lasers,” he
said, noting a new use helping in the global fight against malaria. A quick
laser pulse directed at the earlobe can detect malaria in the blood. Other
areas in which LaPorte is interested are remote sensing by lasers that provides
environmental information available on cell phones and the impact of lasers on
the manufacturing industry.
Sala is a founding member of the Mi-Light consortium. She learned of the
shortage of photonics technicians through a survey of more than 50 companies in
southeast Michigan that work with photonics and lasers. In response to the
research, Baker College launched the photonics and laser technology program
2013 fall quarter.
Sala said that the national need for photonics technicians is great, too. In
2012, the estimated number of graduates from existing U.S. educational programs
would meet about one-third the need through 2017. In 2013, graduates averaged
between three and four job offers, each with starting salaries of
$40,000-$50,000.
For more information about Baker College of Flint photonics
and lasers program, contact Jodi Cuneaz in the admissions office at
810.766.4000 or [email protected].
