Local Industry Attractive Choice for Physics Graduates
R. Allan Baker

You are a recent graduate from Sonoma State University in physics and you really don’t want to move out of the area. What options are available to you? It may surprise you to discover that the telecommunications industry is thriving right here in our own back yard. Sonoma County is no longer acclaimed only for its wine and scenic redwoods but is fast becoming a leader in telecommunications, electronics and optics.

In Santa Rosa, Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. (OCLI) is the world’s largest independent manufacturer of optical thin film coated components used to manage light. OCLI’s products can be found in computer monitors, displays, telecommunications systems, photocopiers, projection imaging systems, satellite power systems and aerospace and defense systems.

Flex Products, Inc., OCLI’s wholly owned subsidiary, designs and manufactures thin film coatings on flexible substrates using high vacuum roll-to-roll processes. Flex supplies critical pigments for use in anti-counterfeiting applications, energy-conserving window film, photoreceptor components for copiers, and light interference pigments for commercial paints.

Founded in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in a garage, Hewlett Packard (HP) is now among the top 20 on the Fortune 500 list. The second largest employer (after OCLI) of SSU physics grads, HP has plants in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa. There are more than a dozen telecommunications firms in the county.

But, does an SSU graduate in physics have a real opportunity to land a career in one of these fast moving companies. The answer is a resounding “yes!” Many of our courses provide excellent preparation for careers in local industry. Some instructors even work there. Dr. Bryant Hichwa, head of Research and Development at OCLI, currently teaches the upper division optics class at SSU. Dr. Charles Carniglia, also at OCLI, taught the electricity and magnetism course at SSU last year.

These companies are growing rapidly and are actively seeking local graduates to staff engineering and research positions. The faculty and staff at SSU have a close working relationship with the leaders in local industry to help fill career opportunities with qualified graduates in physics. Many of these companies have paid intern programs that introduce undergraduate physics majors to the world of industry before graduation with the hope that they will stay with the company after graduation. Chris Addiego (’98) started with OCLI as a summer intern and stayed with them as an engineer after he graduated.

“I have found that having a broad technical background has allowed me to bridge the gap between hardware and software. It is relatively uncommon for people to have skill sets that merge the two. Staying current in the fast moving telecom and software fields is ‘high maintenance’ however.” Clyde Underwood (’74) is a test engineer who writes software that tests the firmware embedded in HP’s microwave test instruments. Clyde helped build the Very Small Array radio telescope atop Darwin Hall. Many of our graduates feel an allegiance to SSU for getting them started.

“We have quickly become a leader in active and passive thin film solutions for the telecommunication industry...” says Robert Lahaderne (’94), currently working on custom display products at OCLI. His department supplies conductive coatings for shielding and heater applications within the display industry. He works closely with Bill Oakes (’96).

Careers are available for our graduates who want to remain in local industry. Amy Weber (’97) says, “I am very happy here at Next Level Communications. I started as an intern in January 1997 and work on optics development and test within the hardware engineering department. I am challenged every day and enjoy my work.” Willie Rodriguez (’97) went to HP, Cherie Copeland (’95) to Advanced Fibre Communications, Scott Rowlands (’86) to Alcatel, and the list goes on. Many SSU physics graduates find exciting and progressive careers in local industry.