About Us

Centre for Optical & Laser Engineering aims to be a regional hub in the field of Optical Engineering with prospects of growing into a world-wide research centre of excellence. We are a research centre where cutting edge research in the area of Optical Engineering that is currently dispersed in the School will come under one roof. The strong pool of qualified researchers would contribute to manpower and talent development to address the growing needs of this sector. This will also provide one stop shop for industry interaction through projects and consultations.

The centre hopes to attract leading researchers and scientists from around the world for collaborative projects, short courses and conferences and seminars. It would thus be a magnet for budding optical engineers starting from the High School and Polytechnics to undergraduates to choose a career in Optical Engineering.

Our purpose is:

  • To conduct cutting edge research in the area of Optical Engineering with international repute and recognition
  • To support industrial research and development with emphasis in the areas of optical design, manufacturing and testing
  • To train and nurture a pool of talented optical engineers to meet the increasing demands of this sector.
  • To excite a new breed of optineers (optical engineers) to the profession through outreach activities.

 

Director's Message

Associate Professor Murukeshan Vadakke Matham 
Director
Centre for Optical and Laser Engineering

The Centre for Optical and Laser Engineering (COLE) at the Nanyang Technological University aims to promote the growth and development of Optical Engineering in Singapore through collaborative research and development between academicians and industry. This will, thus make COLE the “go to” place for industry and prospective students/researchers to solve existing problems and develop new technologies in this growing field. To achieve this goal COLE has four thrust areas – Research, Education, Industry and Outreach. With a team of Professors from diverse backgrounds ranging from Applied Optics and optical Engineering to Mechanics to MEMS and Microsystems, Nanotechnology, Biomedical, Laser material processing, to Nanoscale optics, the research activities at COLE are multi-disciplinary and cutting edge with publications in Nature, high impact optics journals and other leading journals. To support the local industry COLE had developed and successfully run a Master’s specialization in Optical Engineering along with the Optics and Photonics Society of Singapore. Students with background in Engineering and Physics are trained in the areas of Optical Design, Metrology and Instrumentation and Laser Assisted Manufacturing. Apart from this, there is an existing strong cohort of PhD students working in multi-disciplinary projects from multi-dimensional imaging, imaging at micro and nanoscale optics, random optics, optical NDT, 4D Microscopy to Long distance vibrometry to biomedical optical instrumentation to beam shaping for laser assisted 3D printing. For industry, there are different schemes of interaction from industrial partnership program to research collaborative projects. The Industrial Post-graduate Program (IPP) offered by EDB is also an exciting prospect for industry to grow their talent pool in this area. Finally, Optical Engineering being a relatively new specialization, it has to be promoted to the younger generation when they are making their career choices. Projects with high schools and polytechnics are routinely offered by COLE to highlight the importance of Optical and Laser Technology in the current industrial and research setting.

On behalf of COLE, I would like to invite all interested parties from high school students to industrial engineers to visit COLE and see how you all can be involved with this 21st century’s enabling technology and their application enabling you to embark into the 4th industrial revolution and beyond. Let there be light in your new endeavours.