The Department of Optics and Photonics (DOP) at National Central University in Taiwan (R.O.C.) is located in the suburban area of Chung-Li City, about 43 kilometers southwest of the heart of Taipei City. Established in 1982 under College of Sciences, the Institute of Optical Sciences (IOS), which became DOP in 2006, is the second oldest institution dedicated to the education and research on optical sciences and is consistently among the best within the nation.

Known for its rigorous training in full range of university-level work, DOP is unsurpassed in several areas among the best nationwide. Inherent from the IOS, DOP’s education has also been putting more emphasis on the fundamentals of optics/photonics. This continues to enrich the research on holography, thin-film optics, optical element/system design, and solid state lighting and DOP will continue to lead in these areas.

With the growing number of faculty members in recent years, the Department has been extending its research and educational thrusts more into the traditional and other new areas in Optics and Photonics. DOP has 22 full-time faculty members, 4 jointly-appointed professors, 8 adjunct professors, and approximately 300 graduate students and 180 undergraduate majors in the 2011 academic year. Professors with DOP joint appointments are in diverse department such as Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Information Engineering, Institute of Biophotonics. Following years of development, DOP is becoming a primary player in new fields, including optical interconnects, solar cells, nanophotonics, biophotonics, and is taking the lead in solid-state lighting and color science and technology. DOP offers a wide range of university-level training and work, from general courses in optics/photonics to independent research at the Ph.D. level. With all these effort, the DOP at National Central University is determined to moving forward, taking the lead in both education and research to reshape our lives in the future.