Two full-length courses on “Mid-infrared photonics: technologies and applications” and Sensing technologies and applications” will be developed based on research topics in MIRTHE. The courses will constitute the centerpiece of new curricula modules at all MIRTHE partners and will be offered each year. The courses will be developed from faculty input across MIRTHE and the teaching tools (scripts, exercises, problem sets, lab-demonstrations on-site or through video, etc.) will be distributed and made broadly available as web-based courses. The degree of difficulty of the material will enable the two courses to be offered either as advanced undergraduate/early graduate level or, split as offerings at the more introductory sophomore/junior level, depending on each of the partner university’s academic requirements. At Princeton, for example, these two courses allow students tot fulfill the ‘breadth requirements” for undergraduates across all engineering and science disciplines. They may serve as introductory and background courses for a senior thesis on MIRTHE-related topics, or taken to fulfill the minor requirement for graduate study.



Students attending tutorial at 2007 MIRTHE Summer Workshop

MIRTHE will advertise a compelling list of junior papers, senior thesis and independent work topics as well as graduate thesis topics. Courses and programs on science policy, entrepreneurship and ethics, which are already taught at various MIRTHE partners, will be enhanced through real-world examples that arise from expertise and experience of the MIRTHE Center.

MIRTHE will generate new interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and professional and vocational profiles. Through the implementation of new courses, new faculty hires and the growth of a focused student body, cohesive curricula will naturally develop centered around the themes of MIRTHE. We will closely monitor the number of students within the informal curricula, and when critical mass is reached pursue the spin-off and establishment of suitable major, minor or certificate programs. We expect that these programs will draw from all strategic (technical) levels of MIRTHE and will include courses on science policy, ethics and entrepreneurship. The programs will likely be open to students across the disciplines including the humanities and social sciences reflecting MIRTHE’s proximity to real-world applications and high potential for societal impact.