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The COPL advantage

Recognized for more than three decades as a leader in the advancement of knowledge in optics-photonics, the COPL's mission is to support researchers in the development of their research program and to train graduate students (master's, doctoral and post-doctorate).

The centre also contributes to the socio-economic development of this booming sector, in particular through the creation of new companies resulting from research work and through a supply of highly qualified graduate students who will join the industry.

Joining the COPL means learning from international experts and integrating a community of passionate and human intellectuals. It also means ensuring guaranteed placement in the job market at the end of your studies.

Discover our scientific expertise, our state-of-the-art facilities and the financial support available to make your project a reality.

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Recognized scientific and technical expertise

Scientific Expertise

The COPL presents a critical mass of expertise in the field of optics-photonics. Among the expertise for which the COPL is recognized worldwide, let us mention optical engineering, photonic materials, the design and manufacture of new optical fibers, the development of laser sources and sensors for various applications (environment, medicine, industry, etc.), the development of devices to optimize communication networks.

Technical Expertise

One of the strengths of the COPL at Université Laval is its team of expert technicians. Accumulating many years of experience in the field of optics-photonics, our technical team's mission is to ensure the optimal use of scientific equipment, to perfect processes and to provide technical assistance in order to allow the realization research projects of students, professors and researchers.

Visit Our Research for more information.

State-of-the-art facilities and laboratories

The COPL offers its students an exceptional research environment. Its laboratories are located in a building expressly designed for optics-photonics research where the main parameters of temperature, humidity, dust and vibration are rigorously controlled. Among the laboratories and state-of-the-art equipment available to the COPL, it is important to emphasize the fiber optic manufacturing facilities, the thin film deposition and microfabrication systems, the characterization system for optical components at the nanometric scale and femtosecond laser chains. No other Canadian university can claim to have such a large fleet of equipment under one roof.

Financial support for graduate studies

The COPL, Université Laval, and the Faculty of Science and Engineering are doing everything they can to provide you with the financial support you need to complete your graduate studies. Whether you are at the master's or doctoral level, several sources of funding are at your fingertips to support you at all stages of your academic journey.

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An exceptional training environment

The COPL trains autonomous scientists. Its graduates have a reputation for adapting quickly to their working environment and waste no time contributing to more applied research projects. The many collaborations with industrial partners expose students to the demands of technological development and introduce them to a different dynamic than what they are used to at university.

Providing skilled labor to almost all companies in the photonics industry in Quebec, the COPL plays a leading role in the innovation chain. The COPL seeks not only to train future scientists, but also future bosses. Activities are organized on a regular basis to stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit among students.

The COPL also encourages its students to attend conferences to present their work, either through posters or oral presentations. In addition, students have the opportunity to get involved in the organization of conferences and seminars organized by the COPL and to learn about networking with their peers and with established scientists, within the framework of the activities set up by REPOL, which oversees the student section of OSA, SPIE and the IEEE Photonics Society.

Acquisition of complementary skills

Conferences

Scientists from all over the world do research stays at the COPL or come there to sit on a thesis jury. They are regularly invited to present their activities to our students and research staff. Also, due to the multidisciplinary nature of its work, the COPL encourages its students to take advantage of conferences given or organized by collaborators in other departments and laboratories. Finally, the COPL is a member of Optonique, the centre of excellence in optics and photonics in Quebec. Optonique organizes a host of meetings and webinars with the main players in the field in which students can participate.

Various workshops and training

A whole range of learning activities are available through the NSERC-CRAPE programs (training oriented towards novelty, collaboration and research experience) which subsidize many of our researchers. Also, the Sentinel North program at Université Laval deploys an innovative training strategy to contribute to the development of a new generation of scientists capable of addressing the complex issues of the changing North in a dynamic of transdisciplinarity.

Internships

Many COPL researchers work in collaboration with industrial partners. Internships are often offered to students as part of joint projects.

Participation in international conferences

COPL students are encouraged to present the results of their work at international conferences in Canada and abroad: an exceptional opportunity to perfect their skills in scientific communication and develop their professional network.

Study at Université Laval

As a recognized research centre of Université Laval, the COPL is part of a large community of knowledge and innovation and is attached to the Faculty of Science and Engineering, a versatile and avant-garde faculty.

Ranked among the top 20 French-speaking universities in the world, Université Laval is recognized for its leadership and culture of excellence in both teaching and research. In fact, it annually welcomes more than 47,000 students, 27% of whom are graduate students, in its some 550 study programs distributed among its 17 faculties. It also ranks among the 10 largest research universities in Canada with more than $426 million in research funds and 300 centres, chairs, institutes and other research groups.

Laval University is located in the heart of Quebec City, a site recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a dynamic and safe city with a population of more than 800,000 inhabitants (Quebec census metropolitan area (CMA)). Quebec City can boast of stable economic growth. These flagship sectors of activity are found in the following industries: