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Dr Andrew Forbes |
In keeping with its commitment to build much-needed scarce laser-based skills on the continent, the CSIR National Laser Centre's mathematical optics group hosted a short course on 'Introduction to Laser Beams' for delegates from across the African continent in March 2009. The course was organised and chaired by research group leader Dr Andrew Forbes.
The course set out to introduce delegates to the basic concepts of laser beam propagation, generation and applications. Some of the topics included novel laser beams, vortex beams, non-diffracting beams and applications of these beams in a variety of research areas. A major theme of the short course was how to shape laser beams in time and space, a topic of high relevance for many applications. Students were introduced to these concepts first in the lecture room, and then later in the week at the centre's laboratories, where they familiarised themselves with applications such as optical tweezing, dynamic lenses, spatial light modulators and optical resonators.
Twenty-nine delegates representing 17 different institutes across 10
countries attended the short course, held in Dullstroom, South Africa. A
major factor of the course was that most of the delegates were students,
with the remote location contributing to an atmosphere of conviviality.
"Our aim was not only for people to absorb the content of the course,
but hopefully also to build lasting relationships with their peers from
across the continent," he says. A high level of presentations was
assured through the contribution of three international speakers: Dr
Fred Dickey (USA) and a Fellow of the SPIE, Dr Raul Hernandez (Mexico)
and Dr Andrey Smirnov (Belarus). These experts presented a series of
lectures on laser beam shaping, non-diffracting and vortex beams and
spatial light modulators, respectively.
The course was supported financially by the African Laser Centre (ALC). Speaking at the opening of the programme, Dr Paul Motalane of the CSIR and the ALC gave the attendees a 'warm South African welcome' and said, "The ALC has as its mission to 'enable African nations to collaborate with each other and, internationally, to play a major role in utilising light to advance science and technology, thereby contributing to the strengthening of their economies, their global competitiveness, education and welfare of their people. This cooperation will take place in the spirit of NEPAD and the African Union'."
SPIE Fellow Dr Fred Dickey commented, "this sort of course probably does not exist anywhere in the world, and should become an annual event open to a wider audience worldwide."
Other comments include that of Kenyan attendee, Ronald Rop, "Excellent planning, organisation and content. Keep it up," and Nkanyiso Mbatha for the University of KwaZulu-Natal was "very thankful to the CSIR National Laser Centre mathematical optics group and the ALC", for improving his understanding of laser beams.
The other ALC programmes to be supported this year will entail research, business development and four more training events. One training event will take place at the Jomo Kenyata University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya and the other three will be held at the University of Stellenbosch and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa.
The ALC is an official NEPAD flagship programme and is supported by the Department of Science and Technology.
Enquiries: CSIR Communication
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