About the team

The Photonics Explorer program is coordinated at the Department of Applied Physics and Photonics at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Belgium), where a group of more than 50 scientists conducts research in fundamental and applied optics and micro-photonics. This group is also very committed to communicate the beauty of its research field to the public. Under the supervision of prof. Dr. Ir. Hugo Thienpont, several group members will work on the Photonics Explorer program, two of them dedicated full-time to the development task.

The core developer team in Brussels will work closely with the Educational Advisory Panels, an international group of specialists in secondary level science education. Furthermore, the program benefits greatly from the experience of its Strategic Advisory Board. The members of this board have been involved for many years in various projects to bring photonics into class rooms. They thus provide also essential links to local networks and related initiatives.

The Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN) in Kiel (Germany) will scientifically evaluate the development process and its results. They will analyze the educational value of the Photonics Explorer for teaching in secondary schools. Their in-depth study will shed light on how pilot teachers use the Photonics Explorer, and measure the impact it has on the students attitude towards science lessons and in particular the field of photonics.

Partner Universities

The Photonics Explorer team further includes the following partners universities:

Bulgaria:	Sofia University
France:	Université de Bordeaux I
Poland:	Wroclaw University of Technology together with Wroclaw University
Spain:	Universidad Complutense de Madrid
UK:	St Andrew University

Their main task is the local coordination of the field trials in 2011, where the material will be thoroughly tested in classrooms of 7 European countries.

European Union

The development of the Photonics Explorer is financed by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

Team members

Project coordinator

Prof. Dr. Ir. Hugo Thienpont is a full professor at the Faculty of Engineering of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and chair of the Applied Physics and Photonics Department. He is an EOS and SPIE Fellow, serves on the board of directors of SPIE, is chairing SPIE’s Advisory Committee for Europe, and is a member of the Board of Stakeholders of the Technology Platform Photonics21. He has been engaged in several EU supported outreach programs such as the development and distribution of the NEMO micro-optics educational kit, the travelling exhibition "Fascination of Light" and a photonics science show, visited by more than 600 students in Brussels. He states:

"If we want children to share our enthusiasm for photonics, we have to give them an opportunity to experience the fascination of working with light 'first-hand' - their own!

Material development

Ms. Amrita Prasad recently completed her PhD at the Laser Physics Centre at the Australian National University. As Secretary and later as President of the ANU OSA student chapter she initiated several educational outreach programs aimed at primary and secondary school students. These include, among others, ‘Optics in the Outback’ (2007) and ‘Bridging the Gap’ (2008). Amrita has also worked as a volunteer on a local community radio science show and is passionate about communicating science, especially to children.

Project support officer

Ir. Nathalie Debaes graduated from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel as Electrical Engineer with majors in Photonics in 1996. After graduation, she worked for 3 years in Barco Industries as an optical engineer, and from 1999 until 2002 she was R&D manager at Automation N.V. She has been actively involved in the realization and management of the NEMO (Network of Excellent on Micro-Optics) project, in particular in the realization and distribution of the “NEMO Education Kit on Micro-optics”. Nathalie Debaes has also worked on the realization of the ‘Science Show’ at VUB and was responsible for the hosting of the exhibition ‘Fascination of Light’ at VUB. She is member of the workgroup ‘Education and Training’ of the Technology Platform Photonics21.

Scientific evaluation

Prof. Dr. Manfred Euler is head of the Department of Physics Education as well as the current Director of IPN. He was a member of the national expert group for science in PISA. With the IPN Video Group he studied typical learning and teaching processes in physics instruction using video recorded science lessons. His project ‘Physics in Context’ is currently seeking to improve students’ scientific literacy through teacher professionalization. One of his larger current projects is called ‘Lernort Labor’; it fosters research on Learning Laboratories with the aim to provide a basis to link and support Learning Laboratories.

Fast Answers

What is it all about?

The Photonics Explorer program will equip Europe’s secondary schools with up-to-date educational material on topics related to light and its technical use. The Photonics Explorer provides teachers with a class-set of components for hands-on experiments together with an inquiry-based didactic framework. It will be distributed free-of-charge and support teachers to engage, excite and educate students about the fascination of working with light.

What is photonics?

Photonics is the art of making light work for you. Just as electronics has changed the world by turning electrons into our every-day workhorses, photonics has changed our way of living by harnessing photons, small energy-units of light. We use them to carry information around the globe (e.g. for the internet), to generate electric energy, to detect diseases and heal, to cut and weld metal, to measure without touching or simply to read when it's dark outside. From the generation and shaping of light, to the transportation to its destination and its exactly controlled impact, photonics encompasses all aspects of handling electromagnetic radiation.

Why is it needed?

As more as teenagers like to possess and use the latest technological gadgets, as less they seem to be interested in what actually happens behind the user interface. At the same time, our society and everyone individually becomes increasingly dependent on science and technological progress. This raises the questions: Who is going to work on the scientific answers to the challenges we face as a society? How can we motivate young people to engage in the informed discussion about steering the efforts of scientists and the responsible use of technology?

The best place to raise young people’s interest in sciences is at school. Teachers play a key role in encouraging the next generation of scientists and engineers. The Photonics Explorer program therefore aims to support teachers in their efforts to make science an exciting and fun subject, while giving students a clear understanding of physical concepts and showing their relevance to the student’s every-day life.

For whom?

The work in this program is done for school kids. To make them experience the fascination of working with light first-hand, the Photonics Explorer will equip teachers for more engaging and exciting science lessons.

Who are we?

The Photonics Explorer program is teaming up teachers, scientists in pedagogy and experts in photonics to design an intra-curricula educational kit for secondary schools. More than 30 educators from 10 countries volunteer their time and expertise to ensure a high educational value and an easy integration of the material into the regular teaching.

This educational program is actively supported by sponsoring companies from several European countries.

The program is coordinated at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) and scientifically evaluated by the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education in Kiel (Germany).

How can I get involved?

The Photonics Explorer program builds on the enthusiasm of many volunteers that donate their time and expertise to improve science education in Europe. There are several ways you too can get involved, and each support is appreciated: