Student FAQs

What is Industrial Affiliates?

See the Agenda 

Twice a year, our Industrial Affiliate corporate partners join us on campus for the Industrial Affiliates Corporate Showcase and Workshop. At these events, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with optics industry professionals, share your research, learn about job and internship opportunities, and more! We highly encourage you to participate in as much as you can.

What happens at the Poster Session?

Monday, from 1pm to 3pm in SUMC Grand Ballroom (enter through north doors).
Poster sessions are an opportunity for students to present their research in an informal context. All of the posters are set up at once and each presenter is expected to stand with their poster for the entirety of the session to answer questions from passers-by that will include Industrial Affiliates, faculty/staff, and fellow students. The advantage of this format is that it can be a lot less intimidating to be a part of than a panel or paper presentation. Don’t forget to dress in business casual! (More on that below)
Considering Research? Attend to see what kinds of research you could get involved in and learn more about professors and labs!

I’m presenting a poster, what do I do!?

  • Our poster boards are 4’x8’. We recommend posters stay under a size of 42” (W) x 36” (H) so that the poster can be used at other conferences when two posters are placed on a single 4’x8’ board. Alternative sizes for our event are acceptable, but we still request that you not exceed 4 ft. x 4 ft. 
  • There is no required template for content layout. You are advised to consult with you research advisor/group for guidance. You may review posters displayed throughout the Meinel building for general examples. For poster design tips, examples, and generic templates look here:
  • UA and OSC logos can be found here: https://www.optics.arizona.edu/about/staff/communications
  • Poster boards and push pins will be provided for poster display by Academic Programs.

What happens at the Corporate Showcase?

Monday, from 3pm to 6pm in SUMC Grand Ballroom (enter through north doors).
At the Industrial Affiliates Corporate Showcase, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and interact with representatives from optics industry companies who support the Wyant College of Optical Sciences. This is your chance to network with our Industrial Affiliates and learn about their products, internships, career opportunities, and more! Every student should attend! Whether you are an-about-to-graduate senior or graduate student or a new freshman undergraduat! 

Find a list of participating companies here 

What happens at the Workshop?

Tuesday, from 9am to 4:45pm via Zoom.
During the Industrial Affiliates Workshop, Industrial Affiliates learn about the research happening at the Wyant College through students and faculty presentations. Presenters will be in Meinel 307 with the Industrial Affiliate members. Students are welcome to view the presentations live via Zoom (due to limited space in the room).

See the Agenda for all presentation details
Register to Watch the Presentations on Zoom 

May I attend meals and breaks?

Meals and breaks are a great opportunity to connect with Industrial Affiliates in a less formal setting. There will be several meals and breaks throughout the program. We encourage you to attend as many as fit into your schedule: 

Monday, Oct. 24 | 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM | Networking Dinner with Industrial Affiliates (SUMC Grand Ballroom)
Tuesday, Oct. 25 | 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM | Networking Lunch with Industrial Affiliates (SUMC South Ballroom)
Tuesday, Oct. 25 | 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM | Optica and SPIE Networking Happy Hour (Gentle Ben’s)
Wednesday, Oct. 26 | 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM | Farewell Pizza Party (Meinel 3rd Floor Patio)

What if I want to showcase my lab? Or if I’d like to visit open labs?

Wednesday, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM  | Some, but not all, labs will be open for tours on Wednesday. This will allow you to see the equipment used and learn the types of research taking place there. 

More details on this soon! If you’d like to showcase your lab, submit the request here.

I’m looking for a career! What do I do?! / I’d like a career, but I’m not ready yet. What do I do?

Submit your resume NOW!

Resumes from last year have been deleted and employers are looking for your new résumé now!

Companies have access to view student resumes and, many times, they select students to interview this way.  For résumé tips and examples, check out the resources from Student Engagement & Career Development and LifeLab.

Find a list of participating companies here 

Find a list of job postings here (check back often for updates)

How do I prepare!? 

  • Organize – This link includes tips for tracking, evaluating, and prioritizing. It also has videos to plan your search and prepare for an interview.
  • Elevator Pitch – This link includes tips for creating your introductory statement to use in Corporate Showcase.
  • Networking – This link includes information on why networking is important at all phases of your education and life.
  • Interviewing– This link includes SO MUCH great information and more links to get you ready for the big (and small) interview, like the STAR Approach, typical questions, questions you can ask the employer, and what to do after the interview. Be sure to use the “Big Interview” app for free.

I still have questions!

Reach out to us! We’d love to hear from you and help you achieve your goals.

Event (Corporate Showcase/Workshop): Channel Lemon, Senior Events Coordinator channel@optics.arizona.edu

Student Interviews: Amber Soergel, Senior Academic Advisor asoergel@optics.arizona.edu