Photon Camp: June 30 to July 3, 2025
Photon Camp is a free, one-week program where rising high school juniors and seniors can explore the growing field of optics and optical engineering. Students spend the week attending faculty lectures, touring the Laser Lab and Monroe Community College optics labs, and working on projects in the Institute of Optics laboratories. Students who have taken pre-calculus and/or physics will have preference but all students who have taken trigonometry and algebra are welcome to apply.
“Photon Camp was an excellent opportunity to gain firsthand college experience. There’s more to optics than most people realize!”
—Danielle, Photon Camp alum
Note: Photon Camp is geared toward local area students. Housing is not provided.
Capstone Projects
The students will present capstone projects that were developed during Photon Camp. Parents, friends, teachers, etc., are invited and encouraged to attend this event. Past capstone projects have included:
- Thermal Imaging
- Optical Communication
- Digital versus Analog Imaging
- Solar Energy
- Cell phone Camera versus Digital SLR
- Illumination/Fluorescence
Past Lab Experiments and Demos
- HeNe, CO2, and Nd:YAG Lasers
- Fiber Splicing
- Holography
- Spectroscopy
- Interferometry
- Pinhole Camera
- H-alpha Telescope
The Application Process
Space is limited to 35 slots.
- Complete the downloadable application (pdf)
- Create a personal statement of approximately 300 words or less describing your interests and future ambitions
- Ask a teacher for a letter of recommendation (math or science teacher preferred)
- Order your transcript from your school
Submit all of the above documents electronically to Dustin Newman at dnewman3@ur.rochester.edu.
Completed submissions are due by 5 p.m. on May 16, 2025.