The Massachusetts LEAP network: Building a template for a hands-on advanced manufacturing hub in integrated photonics

MassTech Collaborative has helped to make the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a beacon for advanced manufacturing. In partnership with the AIM Photonics manufacturing institute, MassTech has launched five Laboratories for Education and Application Prototypes (LEAPs) within academic institutions and/or companies spread across Massachusetts, to develop a skilled workforce in integrated photonics. Hands-on and in-person workshops, bootcamps and laboratory courses are offered at these LEAPs to learners from academia, industry, and the government. The MA LEAP network stands as an excellent self-sustaining model for hands-on STEM education and workforce training for the rest of the country.