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Laser Teaching Center Alumni
Summer 2013 marks the Laser Teaching Center's 15th year in operation.
Below are a few remarks from some of our LTC alumni about what they're up
to these days and what they had gained from their LTC experiences.
Pradyoth Kukkapalli
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2010 LTC Simons Fellow
Creating Dark Lines in Space with Linear Zone Plates
Currently: Undergraduate at Cornell University '15
Studying Computer Science
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“I would say that I gained a lot from working at the LTC. My research
and experience at the LTC opened up so many other opportunities. For me
personally it was a fundamental building block in my academic career. I
have been able to participate in a top notch research program at Cornell,
and been able to take part in great internships these past two summers.
Working at the LTC simply made me a better student, researcher, and even
writer. It just allowed me to improve myself in so many ways, while
preparing me for future challenges.”
Dennis Chen
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2009 LTC Independent High School Student Researcher
Frustrated total internal reflection and the evanescent wave
Currently: Undergraduate at Princeton University '14
Studying Mechanical and Aerospace Enginering
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"The last two summers, I've been working in a lab that engineers
various methods/equipment to find, image, and perform spectroscopy on
exoplanets. So it's actually all optics, but with the engineering aspect
of R&D also. Having my high school experience from the LTC has certainly
helped me out and was a good talking point when trying to convince the
professor to take me on. The LTC also taught me how to talk
science with others and with those significantly more knowledgeable than
me, a definite adjustment I've had to make since high school."
Jose Mawyin
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2001-03 Stony Brook Research Student
Studied CCD cameras, formation of interference fringes with
polarized light, excitation of metastable helium, simulation of optical Bloch
equations, 1083nm beam flattening
Postdoc at the University of Sheffield in the UK
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"My scientific track started with that project on CCD cameras back in 2001
and now I'm working as a postdoc for the University of Sheffield."
Eric Tompkins
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2004 Stony Brook Researcher Student
Creating Dark Lines in Space with Linear Zone Plates
Currently: High School Physics Teacher
Gen. Douglas Macarthur Senior High School (Levittown, NY)
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“I hope to introduce my new students to the LTC in the beginning of
this year to spark interest and show what great topics and
opportunities are out there for those who are motivated.”
Jon Wu
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2004 LTC Simons Fellow
Fourier Transform Spectroscopy
Currently: Private Equity Associate at Bain Capital
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“I'm currently in Boston working for Bain Capital, but optical physics
has crept into my life at various points. We pursued an investment
recently in a company launching next-generation weather satellites and I
was able to talk Fourier transforms with the head meteorologist briefly.
Please wish the best of luck to the most recent class of [LTC]
graduates. They are exceptionally lucky to have had the experience.”
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