Professor, CEO, Non-Profit President
Dr. Cheryl Schnitzer didn’t start her career in photonics, but she’s now a leader in the field. As a chemistry professor at Stonehill College in Massachusetts, she saw a powerful opportunity to launch technician training in photonics and integrated photonics. She partnered with MIT, a member of the AIM Photonics institute, to secure a significant grant, establish a brand-new program, and help embed photonics training into a four-year college environment—something rarely done at the time.
Designing the curriculum from scratch, Cheryl, her colleague Ruby Gu, and partners at MIT and Bridgewater State University, built a program focused on hands-on skills, academic integration, and job readiness. Cheryl worked directly with students, helped them overcome challenges, and partnered with industry to create hiring pipelines. The result? A thriving, ongoing certificate program that continues to serve as a model for workforce development in the photonics space.
Cheryl has a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Tufts University and is now the director of the Photonics and Optical Engineering certificate program at Stonehill College, working with faculty, lab managers, and institutional leadership to ensure a coordinated, job-focused experience. At Stonehill, she advises students, fields inquiries from prospective applicants, manages relationships with employers, and keeps the program aligned with job market demands. In addition, Cheryl is the Founder and CEO of Reuzzi, a software-based company focused on reducing the volume of take-out food containers that go into landfills. Her deep educational commitment is evident in everything she does. Her TED Talk, “We Are in a Photonics Revolution,” highlighted the urgency of developing a skilled photonics workforce.
Cheryl’s not just teaching science; she’s building pathways into the industries that are shaping our future. From teaching to research to workforce development, Cheryl has made photonics education more accessible—and more impactful—for the next generation, a true Modern Maker.
Q&A with Cheryl
How did you find your way to working in advanced manufacturing?
I found my way by keeping an open mind, being creative, and persevering! When my coworker, Professor Ruby (Guiru) Gu, asked if I would like to submit proposals to Massachusetts for funding with the idea of making Stonehill College a hub for integrated photonics and advanced manufacturing education, I enthusiastically said, "Yes!" Then, I went to my office and googled "integrated photonics" and "advanced manufacturing," having been far from these fields previously. It was not easy to learn the new language and all the many acronyms—I attended quite a few classes, lectures, and workshops to learn as quickly as I could—and it was fascinating. I eventually built up enough confidence and knowledge that I gave a TEDx talk entitled "We Are in a Photonics Revolution.” With my influence on students in the certificate program who have achieved amazing careers, I'm proud of how far I've come and how I have helped folks along the way.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
The most challenging parts of my job as director of the Photonics and Optical Engineering program are recruiting students and ensuring the program remains affordable amid shifts in the higher education landscape. Fortunately, we have great partners like Optikos, a company that paid a student's full tuition with no strings attached. If we want more technicians in the workforce, we need to help them secure funds to get trained and make the leap into high-tech jobs. Finally, I'm a cheerleader for women. Women in particular may face moments of uncertainty and start to doubt our future in advanced manufacturing. We need reassurance to keep going, have faith, and enjoy our unique journeys.
What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is helping students, particularly women, succeed. For example, five years ago, we had a student start our program, a homeless and single mother with twin preschoolers. Since completing the program, she has had fantastic jobs with healthcare and socioeconomic stability. Another student said that our program meant financial independence for her and her son from an abusive relationship. We're not just changing lives—we're changing generations of lives.
What would people be surprised to learn about manufacturing or your role in manufacturing?
People are sometimes surprised to learn how modern manufacturing companies have become. In our program, we bring students to visit companies that are bright, full of incredible instruments/machines, interesting employees, and have a gym on site.
Also, I was surprised at how few women were present at photonics meetings and when visiting companies. In fact, in one company, a woman jumped when she opened the bathroom door and saw me on the other side—she was used to having it all to herself.
What advice do you have for someone new to the industry or considering manufacturing as a career?
Manufacturing as a career is moving fast—learn quickly and hold on—it's worth the ride!
What makes you excited to go to work on Mondays?
I'm excited to hear from Photonics and Optical Engineering students about what they're learning in their classes—their enthusiasm is contagious. Often, these students come into our certificate program with a high school level education and did not necessarily excel in an academic setting previously. However, they can work wonders with their hands (hands-on work is the bulk of our instruction). When I was praising a student for doing so well in their Photonics and Optical Engineering classes, they said it was the first time they could remember receiving positive feedback in school.
If you didn’t have to work, how would you spend your day?
Listening. Learning. Creating. Teaching.
What activity gives you the most energy?
Teaching lights me up—I’m fully in the zone, engaged with students, and time just flies! Plus, I love taking long walks in nature with family and friends.
What hobbies make you better at your career?
As president of a nonprofit for eight years, I have learned to navigate a broad spectrum of differences, including age, backgrounds, skill sets, passions, and interpersonal skills—and still succeed in carrying out our mission, activities, and events.
How does the work you do impact the world?
I'm particularly proud when students and I do work related to integrated photonics and other fields that will have profoundly positive impacts. Furthermore, my work with students helps them achieve more than they had imagined. As one student said, “This program has been the light at the end of that dark tunnel. You saw in me something that I had sometimes wondered was still there: potential, capability, and promise.
