Outreach

QPANG is a young research lab at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona. Our outreach program intends to strengthen the ties between our lab and local community. In addition, it intends to encourage early interest in STEM with a focus on increasing the social, economic, racial and gender diversity in future STEM fields. Moreover, the program can supplement school science curriculum, providing hands-on learning opportunities that may not be available in the regular classroom setting.

Program Options

  1. Hands-on Photonics Workshops: These workshops will provide interactive learning experiences, sparking curiosity and understanding of basic optics.
    • Activity: Simple experiments demonstrating basic photonics principles (e.g., light refraction, reflection, and diffraction), designed to be portable and done at the school. 
    • Age Group: 4-18 years old
    • Frequency: Bi-Monthly
    • Service provided by the lab: We will design and run the experiments and explain the concepts in an age-appropriate manner.
  2. Photonics Demonstration Days: These are demonstrations that are provided at the lab and intends to show how cool sciences/physics/photonics is. It also intends to excite students with real-world applications of photonics.
    • Activity: Interactive demonstrations of lasers, optical modulators, and holograms. Students will get to play with devices that control lasers using a software program. Students will also couple handheld lasers to fibers and learn how this is the foundation for the internet and information technology.
    • Age Group: 7-18 years old
    • Frequency: Quarterly
    • Service provided by the lab:  Host the students and teachers, lead demonstrations, answer questions, and guide students through hands-on activities.
  3. Science Storytelling Sessions: This is likely the easiest activity and could be a good starting point. We want to build a narrative around science to make it relatable and inspiring for younger students.
    • Activity: Storytelling sessions focusing on famous scientists and important discoveries in photonics, combined with simple demonstrations. We will also present our lab’s work discussing the topics we are most passionate about in an accessible way.
    • Age Group: 4-11 years old
    • Frequency: Bi-monthly
    • Service provided by the lab: We will develop and deliver engaging stories and demonstrations at the school.
  4. Photonics Lab Tours: This will provide a glimpse into real scientific work, making photonics tangible and accessible.
    • Activity: Guided tours of your lab, showcasing various photonics equipment and experiments.
    • Age Group: 9-18 years old
    • Frequency: Semi-annual
    • Service provided by the lab: Act as tour guides, explain equipment, and demonstrate experiments.
  5. Interactive Science Fairs: These science fairs encourage independent thinking, creativity, and presentation skills, reinforcing their understanding of photonics.
    • Activity: Organize a mini-science fair where students can present simple projects related to light and optics.
    • Age Group: 7-18 years old
    • Frequency: Annual
    • Service provided by the lab: Mentor students in developing projects, judge presentations, and provide feedback.
  6. Photonics Kits for Classrooms: Brings photonics directly into classrooms, allowing continuous exploration and learning
    • Activity: Distribute kits with materials for simple photonics experiments (e.g., prism sets, laser pointers, diffraction gratings).
    • Age Group: 6-18 years old
    • Frequency: One-time distribution with follow-up sessions
    • Service provided by the lab: Develop and distribute kits, conduct follow-up sessions to explain and troubleshoot experiments. We intend to develop the kit with the Wyant college itself. 
  7. Summer Science Camps: If multiple labs are interested and sufficient funding is provided, we would be happy to host the students for a few weeks for a summer science camp which would provide an immersive learning experience and deepen the interest and knowledge of optics and photonics for the students. 
    • Activity: Week-long summer camps focused on photonics, with a mix of experiments, demonstrations, and project work.
    • Age Group: 9-18 years old
    • Frequency: Annually during summer
    • Service provided by the lab: Plan and lead camp activities, mentor students on projects.
    • Impact: Provides an immersive learning experience, deepening interest and knowledge in photonics.