Benefits of Being a Member | CREOL, The College of Optics & Photonics at the University of Central Florida

To join the College of Optics and Photonics Industrial Affiliates program, please fill out a Membership Application.

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. Other benefits include:

Establishing a close association with this leading institute in optics, lasers, and photonics
Exposure to the latest research and developments in cutting edge technologies
Membership certificate or plaque for display in your facility
Availability of sophisticated measurement, test, and calibration facilities
Early notice of students approaching graduation (the next generation of experts in the field). See our Student Resumes.
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, and monthly e-Highlights
Notification of seminars at the College
Opportunity for free presentation space at our annual Industrial Affiliates Day meeting
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 CREOL, 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:

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.