Thorlabs

There is a saying that we are the sum of all our experiences, both the positive and the negative.    It's a privilege to have a job that helps create positive experiences, but our most recent visit was especially rewarding as we created smiles at the Thorlabs Mobile Photonics Lab during the Physics and Our World event at Brown University.   Over three days, students and faculty from the Brown University Department of Physics hosted demonstrations for visiting middle and high school students, presented campus research during a poster session, organized an ice cream networking social, provided solar prominence viewing, performed jazz, delivered research talks, and participated in the Intro to Photonics and Quantum Optics Experiences at the Mobile Photonics Lab.    A huge thank you to Angella Johnson for the invitation and organization of the event, as well as to the Brown provost and university administrators for allowing the event to continue.   Also thank you to our employees Noa Shaw, Celeste Carbonell, Eric Kurywczak, Zhanna Rodnova, and Raymond Doidge for supporting the event and bringing the smiles to light.    #mobilelab #MobilePhotonicsLab #IDL2026 #InternationalDayOfLight

A year ago, Christopher Baker '26, Coleman Huetz '26, and Brielle Zemer '26 barely knew what photonics was. Today, they are building a prototype 'laser micro-printer' and heading to graduate school to pursue careers in a field that impacts everything from biomedical devices to anti-counterfeiting tech. Through interdisciplinary collaboration here at #TCNJ, these three mechanical engineering seniors transformed a shared curiosity into professional research, collaborating with industry giants like Thorlabs and presenting at major conferences. Click the link below to see how they turned their senior project into a career path! https://bit.ly/4w4J5Q7 #TCNJEngineering #Photonics #StudentSuccess #STEMCareers #Optics #UndergradResearch #Engineering #MechanicalEngineering

Last week, I got to witness a light bulb moment.   The Thorlabs Mobile Photonics Lab had the pleasure of supporting Bryn Mawr College’s 2026 Quantum Day for the local community. The Quantum Materials, Sensing, and Education Center (QMSEC: https://lnkd.in/efmZ5e7D) showcased a wide range of hands-on demonstrations allowing families to interact with optics, plasma physics, and electricity and magnetism. A standout demo imaged a light bulb above its fixture, sparking curiosity from not only the attendees but also the construction workers building out the new facilities.      Faculty also led tours through their labs investigating nitrogen-vacancy quantum sensing, rubidium atom trapping, and nanomaterial properties for qubits. It was a great opportunity for community members to see the cutting-edge research happening in their backyard.   Meanwhile, the Mobile Photonics Lab was set up outside, offering interactive demonstrations in biomedical imaging, spectroscopy, and optical communications to connect photonics technologies to everyday life. It was especially exciting to see the College President Wendy Cadge actively participating in the event, along with a special visit from Advancing Photonics Technologies members Christine G. and Jennifer Gilburg.   While we were there, we welcomed Bryn Mawr physics students on a second day to take part in the Quantum Optics Experience. Students aligned single-photon detectors and measured g2 correlations for both continuous wave and single-photon sources, bringing quantum characterization concepts to life through hands-on experimentation.   A big thank you to May (Xuemei Cheng) and Nina F. for the invitation and helping us work out the logistics. And thank you to our team: Noa Shaw, Celeste Carbonell, Adam Prokofiew, and John Bugay for dedicating part of their weekend to ensure a successful event.   Next up, the Mobile Photonics Lab heads to Brown University for the “Physics and Our World” outreach event, taking place Wednesday, April 29 through Friday, May 1.   https://lnkd.in/eGF2pFeR   #mobilelab #MobilePhotonicsLab #APT

Local teachers in the The School District of Palm Beach County joined MPFI and Thorlabs for an interactive workshop, designed to bring modern photonics to the classroom. Through guided experiments and expert instruction, participants explored foundational optics techniques using cutting-edge equipment. This exclusive, hands-on workshop offered STEM educators opportunities to practice real-world applications of advanced tools and generate practical ideas for teaching photonics. See photos from the session and learn how to get involved: https://lnkd.in/gwGspah6

Earlier this month, the Thorlabs Mobile Photonics Lab wrapped up its latest road trip on beautiful spring days at Duke University before heading home to New Jersey. It was great to watch chemistry students connect the dots with many arriving unfamiliar with the word photonics, yet quickly feeling at home discussing spectroscopy. It was especially rewarding to hear one student describe the Spherical Aberrations Experience as “way better than physics lab,” emphasizing how much they appreciated the freedom to experiment and answer more tangible questions. We were also excited to be part of this year’s Lasers, Lenses, and Light Day, hosted by the DOSC - Duke Optical Student Chapter. Students led tours of the computational optics, biophotonics, and biomedical interferometry optics and spectroscopy labs, and attendees also had the opportunity to hear a talk from the nanophotonics group in addition to the mobile lab. Thank you Kathryn Haas for originally requesting the visit, Dwight Walker for making key connections, August Burns for ensuring everything ran smoothly onsite, and the DOSC - Duke Optical Student Chapter for hanging out with us throughout the day. A special thank you goes to Trey Highland for handling logistics and pulling everything together. I also want to thank our employees Noa Shaw, Celeste Carbonell, Elizabeth Tozer Reyer, and Kevin Sosnowski for making the day possible. It’s going to be a busy end of the month, with our next visit to Bryn Mawr College for 2026 Quantum Day on Sunday, April 19, and Monday, April 20: https://lnkd.in/e_ztCWUz #mobilelab #MobilePhotonicsLab