One of my favorite questions when I meet with Optica student chapter members is, “Do you want to work in academia or industry when you graduate—or haven’t you decided?” I am always pleased when many have not yet made up their minds. I only made that choice for myself at the end of graduate school and after much reflection. I was fortunate to have received two excellent offers: one in industry and the other in academia. One of my advisors, Conger Gable, wisely cautioned me not to “ignore my stomach.” One challenge then was that I had little idea what the industry experience would entail, a problem that persists for many students today.
To help remedy that lack of information, I have spoken several times at the Optica Career Accelerator, one of many professional development programs offered by the Optica Foundation. My topic of choice has been innovation in product development. Other distinguished speakers at the Accelerator have spoken about project and product management, technical sales, strategic marketing, thriving in startups—and even becoming a CEO. We’ve also covered networking, negotiating and resume-writing skills, and Optica’s treasurer, George Bayz, regularly teaches “fun with accounting,” which he somehow manages to make the most engaging presentation—every year.
Equally valuable is that each speaker has a different story about their career path: the choices they’ve navigated, the tradeoffs they made, the unexpected turns they took. And I’m always struck by how generously they share their journeys. The range of their experiences is both eye-opening and encouraging.
Optica’s next Career Accelerator is planned to take place in Washington, DC, USA, in 2026 (more details to come). You may be aware that the optimal time to apply to attend the Career Accelerator is the last year of grad school, so keep your eyes out; it can be a timely springboard.
And if you can’t wait for the next Accelerator, I recommend a couple of recorded webinars by David Giltner that you can find on Optica.org. In “Can a Scientist Find a Rewarding Career in Industry?” he tackles many of the career options covered in the Accelerator, and in “Preparing for your Industry Career while still in University,” he suggests four things you can do while in school to better prepare for an industry career (and your first interview).
Of course, our community needs skilled workers at all educational and experience levels—not only Ph.D. scientists and engineers, but also technicians and bachelor’s- or master’s-level engineers. Over the past year, I have personally heard about the need for improved workforce development, with requests ranging from getting more students to apply for seats in existing technician training programs, to solving the projected shortfall of qualified workers in fast-growing fields such as quantum technology.
My hope is that you find the career niche that best fits your talents and aspirations, and that, together, we can continue to serve as ambassadors for optics and photonics. Sharing our stories will serve to inspire and excite a larger group of contributors to join us in pushing our industry forward.
—Jim Kafka,
Optica President
