Project Grant ED25HDQ0G0010

PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM IS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE PHOTONIC SENSOR SYSTEM TRAINING AND TESTING LABORATORY AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY TO ENHANCE EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY SKILLS IN PHOTONIC REMOTE SENSORS. THIS INCLUDES ESTABLISHING TRAINING FACILITIES, HIRING EXPERTS, DEVELOPING CORE PHOTONIC SENSORS, AND PROVIDING TRAINING TO BOTH STUDENTS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. THE PROGRAM AIMS TO SUPPORT LONG-TERM PHOTONIC SENSOR CHARACTERIZATION AND FACILITATE THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGY THROUGH HANDS-ON TRAINING AND COLLABORATIVE INDUSTRY PROJECTS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: PROCURE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AND CREATE FOUR TRAINING TEST STATIONS. COLLABORATE WITH THE HEADWATERS TECH HUB-ADVANCED SENSOR SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY (HTH-ASSIST) PROJECT TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM FOR PHOTONIC SENSOR USERS AND MANUFACTURERS TO PROVIDE ONGOING INPUT REGARDING TRAINING NEEDS. COORDINATE WITH GLOBAL PHOTONICS ORGANIZATIONS TO DEFINE THE POSITION AND IDENTIFY RECRUITING METHODS. RECRUIT NATIONALLY FOR INTEGRATED PHOTONICS FACULTY, PREFERABLY WITH EXPERIENCE COLLABORATING WITH OR WORKING IN INDUSTRY. RUGGEDIZE LIDAR FOR AIRBORNE FIELD TESTING AT HEADWATERS TECH HUB (HTH) TESTBEDS. CONDUCT AIRBORNE LIDAR TEST FLIGHTS AT HTH-ASSIST TESTBEDS. INTEGRATE A SMART HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGER ONTO AN AERIAL DRONE FOR TEST FLIGHTS IN COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY. INCORPORATE NEW HTH CORE SENSOR SYSTEMS INTO EXISTING ?REMOTE SENSING SYSTEMS,? ?OPTICAL DESIGN,? AND ?ELECTRO-OPTICAL SYSTEMS? COURSES AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY. COORDINATE WITH THE MONTANA PHOTONICS & QUANTUM ALLIANCE (MPQA) AND HTH TO CONDUCT INDUSTRY TRAINING SESSIONS. COLLABORATE WITH TRIBAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OTHER MONTANA UNIVERSITIES TO CONDUCT PHOTONIC REMOTE SENSOR TRAINING FOR STUDENTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: ESTABLISHMENT FOUR OPERATIONAL TRAINING TEST STATIONS AND HIRE OF AN INTEGRATED PHOTONICS EXPERT. TRAIN AT LEAST 100 MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND 200 NON-MSU STUDENTS AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. CONDUCT TESTBED DEPLOYMENTS AT THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, AND PRODUCING FUNCTIONAL AIRBORNE LIDAR AND HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING SYSTEMS. GATHER INDUSTRY FEEDBACK THROUGH SURVEYS AND MAINTAIN AN ONLINE PORTAL FOR ONGOING TRAINING INPUT. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WHO WILL GAIN HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING IN PHOTONIC SENSOR SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL RECEIVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND SUPPORT IN PHOTONICS TECHNOLOGY. INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED IN PHOTONICS WILL BENEFIT THROUGH ENHANCED COLLABORATION, FEEDBACK MECHANISMS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES. COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OTHER MONTANA UNIVERSITIES WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM COLLABORATIVE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. LOCAL WORKFORCE WILL BENEFIT FROM INCREASED EMPLOYMENT THROUGH THE HIRING OF EXPERT FACULTY AND EXPERTS IN RELATED TESTING SYSTEMS.