College of Optics and Photonics

CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics

The College of Optics and Photonics is a graduate school for research and education in optics, lasers, and photonics. CREOL (Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers), FPCE (Florida Photonics Center of Excellence), and the Townes Laser Institute (TLI) are research centers within the College, but CREOL predates the College by many years and we are best known internationally under this name. CREOL was established in 1986 to provide the highest quality education in optics and lasers, conduct scholarly fundamental and applied research, and aid in the development of Florida’s high technology-based industries.

CREOL, FPCE, and TLI are the research arms of the College, which offers Masters (MS) and Doctoral (Ph.D.) Degrees in Optics. CREOL has become an internationally recognized institute with 40 faculty members, 69 Ph.D. level research scientists, and 146 graduate students. The faculty are recognized as being among the best in the optics/laser/photonics field, with two-thirds holding the rank of Fellow in major national and international professional societies. It is housed in a state-of-the-art 104,000-square-foot building dedicated to optics, photonics, and laser education and research on the main campus. This facility houses ninety research laboratories equipped with over $45 million in state-of-the-art equipment. A portion of the building functions as the UCF Photonics Incubator, an extension of the award-winning UCF Business Incubation Program.

The research activities span the spectrum from basic science to prototype development. The faculty and research staff pursue joint research projects with industry, academia, and government laboratories, and are always seeking new opportunities to work with industry to expose students to the industrial environment and to help in technology transfer. Current research areas include: nanophotonics, biophotonics, imaging science, plasmonics, high-speed photonics networks and telecommunications, solid state laser development, nonlinear optics, laser induced damage, quantum-well optoelectronics, photonic information processing, infrared systems, optical system design, image analysis, virtual reality, medical imaging, diffractive optics, optical crystal growth and characterization, high intensity lasers, x-ray optics, EUV sources, optical glasses, liquid crystal devices, laser materials processing, quantum optics, and light-matter interaction. These programs are supported by over $17 million of research grants and contracts annually from numerous federal and state agencies and industry.

Graduate assistantships, with stipends ranging from $20,000 to $26,000, plus full tuition waivers, are available to outstanding students pursuing graduate education in optics and photonics. Research training opportunities are also available to undergraduate students through the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, and other research grants and contracts.

CREOL has a very active Industrial Affiliates Program to facilitate strong cooperative relations with industry. The program, with over 60 members, provides industry with benefits of ready access to cutting-edge research and to the expertise and facilities of the College. Faculty members also team with small businesses to help them compete for federally sponsored Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) programs. The program provides industry with effective ways to contribute to and sustain the research and teaching of optics and photonics.