We had a blast learning about interview questions, resume building, and other key building blocks to help us reach our goals! A big thank you to Jeremy Govier from Edmund Optics for sharing his insights and providing a wonderful presentation and discussion.
Like many student organizations across the country, the COVID-19 Pandemic left the Student Optics Chapter (SOCk) hanging onto members by a thread. There was an uncertain future for our chapter. However, in the years that have passed since, our chapter has not only rebounded but grown exponentially in terms of involvement and initiative. The 2023 calendar year was a testament to such a dynamic chapter that promotes the holistic development of its members, creating an inclusive, professional, and fun environment that radiates throughout this college.
2023 demonstrated SOCk’s commitment to catalyzing the UA Optics community in three main facets: academic, social, and outreach. Where many organizations talk, SOCk acts. Our committees have spent countless hours planning and executing events, so take a look back at all the good memories in our 2023 Recap Video!
Thank you to all who came out to play or watch some Bubble Soccer. We had a BALL of a time! If you would like to see more pictures of this event make sure to check out SOCk’s instagram: @uasock. 
Thank you to our wonderful speakers, Eliana and Kris, for sharing their wonderful testimonies about their summers in Taiwan and Germany as study abroad students! UA Study Abroad is an opportunity that even Optics students get to participate in, gaining incredibly valuable research experience while exploring new parts of the world! SOCk would like to encourage everyone who is interested in study abroad to click the link https://international.arizona.edu/study-abroad/program-search and see what other areas in the world you can visit! As Kris mentioned, there are significant stipends that help cover much of the cost for our students, so don’t let finances deter you!
Thank you to all who came out for some food and fun. Another remarkable SOCktoberfest in the books!
Students gathered to ask questions to our internship gurus about their strategies and techniques to present themselves to companies. Topics ranged from resumes and interview questions. Thank you to everyone who attended and presented!
Thank you to all who came out for the annual BBQ! Also, a special thanks to ASML for helping us make this BBQ so remarkable! We can’t wait for the next one!
Mountain lakes, cliffside sunsets, stargazing, campfires, good food, great music, even better people, and a 2-hour tour of the Large Binocular Telescope (the largest single-mount telescope in the world!!) makes for a pretty epic weekend on one of the most prominent peaks in the United States.
SOCk hosts this amazing trip each year, providing transportation to the mountain, providing dinner, and setting up the telescope tour free of charge, which is something you do not want to miss out on! Make sure to join us next year as we’ll be returning to the same campsite!
Thanks to Colin Potter, a current graduate student here at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences pursuing his PhD/MD. Colin elucidated the different ways PhD/MDs are trying to change the world. In fact, Colin talked about he is creating a quick way to detect the SARs-COV-19 virus using a novel diffractive optical system faster than current standard testing. Thanks so much Colin!
Dr. Robert Kester (MS ’07), co-founder of Rebellion Photonics, returned to the Wyant College to host a conversation about his experience establishing, running, and scaling a startup. Students asked pressing questions about how they can be successful in their own entrepreneurial enterprises. Everyone gained insight into some of the challenges he faced during his time building Rebellion. Thank you Dr. Kester for your time!
