What does that even mean, optics?

The study of light.

Why would you study light?

Well I’m most interested in its interaction with matter, so the physics side of it. So quantum optics and the interaction with quantum dots and different things like that.

Wow. All that you just said is making my head hurt. How do you even stay awake in your classes?

I don’t.

Well do you at least take a pillow?

No, I just lean on the desk.

The teachers don’t catch you?

They might. Occasionally they might come by and drop a heavy book on the desk to wake you up.

How did you get into optics anyway?

I don’t know. I enjoyed taking intro to physics in high school. I got my master’s in physics and bachelor’s. I liked it, I worked in it for a little while also and now I’m here.

What kind of jobs can you get with a degree in optics?

I want to stay in a university setting, but I worked in thin film optics and there’s optical design, full systems or defense contractors and stuff like that.

Well either way it sounds like you need a big brain to do it.

Yeah, maybe.