spie_annual_report_31-03-2015

Heriot-Watt University SPIE Student Chapter

Progress Report submitted by Student Chapter at Heriot-Watt University

Date: 31st March 2015

Email:

spie@hw.ac.uk ;

pk121@hw.ac.uk

Contents

Member and Officer List.......................................................3

Dr H. Philip Stahl’s lecture...................................................4

Professor Dirk Bouwmeester’s Visit....................................8

SPIE Student Chapter Meeting at Photonics West 2015..10

EPS Photography Contest Winning Photos.......................12

Future Planned (in progress) Events..................................13

Finances.................................................................................13

Member and Officer List

Current Officers

1. Puneet S Chhabra, President, Member Number: 2. Pragati Kumar, Chair, Member Number: 32704403. Luis Acevedo, Treasurer, Member Number: 3171001

Current List of Members

1. Puneet S Chhabra psc31@hw.ac.uk

2. Ning Manm252@hw.ac.uk

3. David Webbdw132@hw.ac.uk

4. David MacLachlan dgm4@hw.ac.uk

5. Aurora Maccaroneam827@hw.ac.uk

6. Luis Acevedo la47@hw.ac.uk

7. Pragati Kumarpk121@hw.ac.uk

Dr H. Philip Stahl’s lecture

President of SPIE, Dr Phil Stahl paid a visit to newly formed Heriot-Watt University student chapter on 11th June, 2014 which attracted a huge crowd from the university.

Advertisement posters were designed by the chapter and put on notice boards around the campus for Dr Phil Stahl’s visit to Heriot-Watt University.

Dr Phil Stahl had a guided visit to several optics labs at Heriot-Watt University. In the above picture, Dr Stahl looks at an experimental demonstration of obtaining single photons from quantum dot devices placed in a liquid helium cryostat at 4K.

Dr Phil Stahl gave a talk on optical testing and gave examples from his experience while working on James Webb Space Telescope.

The talk was followed by coffee and lunch session with several academics from Heriot-Watt University and members of SPIE Student chapter at the university.

Dr Phil Stahl had a picture taken with the members of SPIE Student chapter at Heriot-Watt University.

Karin Burger joined Dr Phil Stahl in this visit to HWU. Professor Daniele Faccio, Professor Duncan Hand can be seen in the pictures too.

Professor Dirk Bouwmeester’s Visit

Professor Dirk Bouwmeester was invited by the chapter for a talk on Solid State cavity quantum electrodynamics on September 19th, 2014. Professor Bouwmeester had won the prestigious Spinoza prize in the Netherlands in July 2014 and the chapter was privileged to host him for this event.

Advertisement posters were designed by the members of the chapter and put up on notice boards around the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University.

Professor Bouwmeester gave an inspiring talk on quantum optics, inertial confined plasma chamber designs and twisted light.

Professor Brian Gerardot had a discussion with Professor Bouwmeester about quantum optics after visiting his Quantum Photonics lab.

Professor Bouwmeester had a visit to Quantum Digital Signatures lab after meeting with Professor Erika Anderson.

SPIE Student Chapter Meeting at Photonics West 2015

Pragati Kumar, president of SPIE Student Chapter at HWU, joined the Student Chapter Meeting event at Photonics West in San Francisco from 6 th February to 12th February, 2015. He met >40 chapter officers from around the world and learnt about activities and grants that SPIE provides to chapters around the world.

Dirk Fabian provides information to new chapters about FOCUS Conference Grant.

EPS Photography Contest Winning Photos

Two of our student members, viz. Shraddha and Aurora won the prizes for best pictures in the contest. They were later awarded by the chapter as well with Amazon vouchers worth £ 20 each.

Picture by Shraddha Rao:

Plasma channel and microbubbles in water

The image shows a plasma channel (seen in the center of the image) of dimension less than 0.5 mm, produced by focusing femtosecond pulses in water and the subsequent production of micro-bubbles. The colouration of bubbles is due to the laser-light scattered by them.

Future Planned (in progress) Events

Focus Conference – Probably together with NUI Galway, Imperial College, KU Leuven

Industrial Trip – TBD Visiting Guest Lecturer Recruitment of new members – Advertise to new postgraduate students Student Social events – Laser Tag etc.

Finances

Grants Received:

1. Student Chapter Officer Travel Grant : Used: $18002. Visiting Lecturer Program: Unused3. Activity Grant: £390.00 still remaining