North Alabama Optics Educational Ladder

HEOS is committed to the advancement of optics in industry and academia in North Alabama. With this commitment we have begun the foundation for a North Alabama Optics Educational Ladder as an outreach tool to encourage young people to pursue a career in optics or optics related field. This educational ladder is not only an outreach tool, but a pathway and guide to getting an early start in the important scientific and engineering field of optics, photonics, or nanotechnology. The educational ladder will provide them with the next logical step towards an interest or a career in an optics related field.

Outreach programs are currently in place for middle children through the Hands-On Optics program funded through OSA, SPIE, and NSF and supported by volunteers from UAH, UAH SPIE student chapter, HEOS, and NASA. The next rung on the educational ladder is the Huntsville Consortium for Optics and Directed Energy Education (HCODE) which has setup an optics lab at Lee High School to promote interest and education in optics and lasers. These programs are enormously popular with the schools and are rapidly maturing.

HEOS in collaboration with SPIE, OSA, UAH, and NASA has long supported Special awards in optics at the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair (ASEF) and at the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NARSEF). These efforts have awarded hundreds of dollars in scholarship prizes, while stimulating interest and encouraging the study of optics and science.

HEOS sponsors optics related education material and programs at a local kid’s hands-on science museum- Sci-Quest.

Annual $500 graduate scholarship awards are competitively given to an optics graduate student from both Alabama A&M and University of Alabama in Huntsville based on submitted optical research technical papers.

Past Science Fair Winners

Hands-on Optics

“HEOS: A commitment to preserving education in the wake of Hurricane Katrina”

HEOS has the opportunity to provide assistance to a Louisiana high school inundated with young students fleeing from the New Orleans area in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The call for help came through a HEOS member, Denise Morell. Denise’s sister works at the Morgan City High School in Louisiana overwhelmed with evacuees. Morgan City High School is located in St. Mary Parish 75 miles west of New Orleans. The area only sustained minor damage from Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, the devastation begins only 20 miles to the east of the school. They are the first school to open west of New Orleans and are receiving many students daily. Twenty-three percent of Louisiana's student population are now being enrolled in schools around the country. As of September 2, St. Mary’s has enrolled 300 students in their parish (county) alone. Morgan City is the largest school in the area and they are receiving the most influx of students.

State and Federal aid has not been guaranteed and due to the great need of so many, and it may never arrive. HEOS asks its members and friends to consider this worthy cause in this time of need. We know a lot of people have already generously given or have family directly in need. HEOS offers this as another vehicle for humanity and education of young minds. This is an immediate and direct need requested by one of our HEOS family members and we believe lies within the mission of HEOS to further education and make a difference. All donations will be accountable through HEOS and the Morgan City High School.

Special Thanks to Don Gregory, Kevin Spradley, and Denise Morell.

Funds used to supply:
Pencils, binders, shoes, folders, food items, paper, khaki pants (male and female-all sizes), notebooks, green or white polo shirts, composition books, black and brown belts, calculators, underclothes

St. Mary Parish School Board
Morgan City High School
Morgan City,LA 70380