u/Disastrous-Quiet-375

Hey everyone!

I’m starting my MSc in Germany, and I’m planning to specialize in Applied Optics and Photonics.

My course has a few modules related to data science, image processing, AI, scientific computing, etc., which is one of the reasons I’m really interested in the program. During my bachelor's, I worked with python, numpy, pandas, matplotlib and scientific computing, and I’m currently learning MATLAB as well.

I’m interested in machine learning and how it can be applied to photonics, optical systems, scientific imaging, and instrumentation. I’m trying to figure out how far I can take this combination during my MSc rather than treating AI/ML as something completely separate from photonics.

For anyone working/studying in photonics, scientific instrumentation, computer vision, or ML, I’d really appreciate some advice:

• what programming skills should I develop beyond python/numPy/pandas/matplotlib? Is C++, MATLAB, cuda, pyTorch, etc. worth learning?
• what kind of projects would be good for combining photonics/instrumentation with ML? For example, optical image analysis, spectroscopy, sensor data, signal denoising, inverse problems, etc.
• are there particular areas where ML is genuinely being used in industry/research in photonics
• what would you recommend learning/building over the next 1–2 years to become competitive for internships, working-student positions and eventually full-time jobs?

Any advice on what you wish you had learned earlier, good project ideas, research areas, or things I should avoid spending too much time on would be really appreciated!

Thanks!

Hey everyone!

I’m starting my MSc in Germany, and I’m planning to specialize in Applied Optics and Photonics.

My course has a few modules related to data science, image processing, AI, scientific computing, etc., which is one of the reasons I’m really interested in the program. During my bachelor's, I worked with python, numpy, pandas, matplotlib and scientific computing, and I’m currently learning MATLAB as well.

I’m interested in machine learning and how it can be applied to photonics, optical systems, scientific imaging, and instrumentation. I’m trying to figure out how far I can take this combination during my MSc rather than treating AI/ML as something completely separate from photonics.

For anyone working/studying in photonics, scientific instrumentation, computer vision, or ML, I’d really appreciate some advice:

• what programming skills should I develop beyond python/numPy/pandas/matplotlib? Is C++, MATLAB, cuda, pyTorch, etc. worth learning?
• what kind of projects would be good for combining photonics/instrumentation with ML? For example, optical image analysis, spectroscopy, sensor data, signal denoising, inverse problems, etc.
• are there particular areas where ML is genuinely being used in industry/research in photonics
• what would you recommend learning/building over the next 1–2 years to become competitive for internships, working-student positions and eventually full-time jobs?

Any advice on what you wish you had learned earlier, good project ideas, research areas, or things I should avoid spending too much time on would be really appreciated!

Thanks!