These numbers reflect a strong student-workforce development history with ties to Photonics/Optics related industries, top graduate schools (most recently in biophysics, particle physics, quantum technologies, astronomy and general relativity) while continuing our tradition of training high school teachers. The Department seeks candidates that can complement our existing capabilities, with skills in areas such as optical engineering (system design, signal processing, image processing, and modern optics hardware), semiconductor devices, fiber optics, quantum optics, and digital devices.