About the ORC

The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) is one of the schools in the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics at the University of Southampton, focusing on Photonics; the study of light. The ORC was formed in 1989 as an Interdisciplinary Research Centre, merging groups from the School of Physics & Astronomy and School of Electronics & Computer Science.

The ORC and its predecessors have played a leading role in optics over the last 40 years, and continues to be at the forefront of photonics advances today. The ORC provided key components that enabled the communications revolution of the late 20th century.

The ORC is a research-only school, with around 20 groups covering a wide range of areas, all to do with the study and manipulation of light (photonics), and photonic devices. There are around 70 PhD students at any time working in the ORC, but there are no undergraduate or postgraduate taught courses. However, many undergraduates from the faculty go on to study a PhD at the ORC.

The ORC has very strong links to local, national and international industries, and collaborates with many other university groups as well as other schools within the University of Southampton.

The ORC is a vibrant community of researchers, led by some of the leading figures in the field of photonics.