The project "Scientific and Technological Education in Photonics" (STEP) is being conducted by a national alliance of community colleges, tech-prep schools, universities, industry leaders, scientists from government labs, photonics societies, and non-profit organizations. Photonics is a very fast growing technical area that employs many technicians. STEP is meeting the challenge of technician training for the 21st century in rapidly expanding photonics industries and other industries who use photonics as a key enabling technology. A consortium representing above all of the partners is developing and validating an industry-driven curriculum for an Associate of Science Degree in photonics. The photonics societies, OSA and SPIE, is providing a forum for industry leaders to determine the skill standards. Two-year college faculty, supported by university researchers to maintain technology currency, are creating the detailed curriculum. This project is also producing, field testing, and disseminating the introductory course, Fundamentals of Photonics in what is expected to be an eight course sequence. The courses meet both academic and voluntary industry skill standards and are articulated with preparation of secondary school students and with courses in four year colleges and universities. The course is being evaluated by pre- and post- instruction test to continuously improve and implement the curriculum content and educational cognitive psychology. *
