ASPIRE Applied Science in Photonics and Innovative Research in Engineering

PhD program details

What should you expect?

Our PhD training consists of five stages.

Up to 12 months

  • Complete course work
  • Embark on your research work
  • Prepare for long stays at one of our international research partners.


Up to six months


Stays of up to four months at the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona (Spain), the University of California Davis (US), Imperial College in London (England) and/or Wroclaw Polytechnic in Wroclaw (Poland).

Working on research projects, you will:

  • Solidify your theoretical knowledge

  • Learn modeling and simulation of devices

  • Strengthen your understanding of experimental issues.

In addition…

Information and Communication trainees

Information and Communication stream trainees will then move onto stays of up to four months at the Nanophotonic Technology Centre in Valencia (Spain) and/or the Nanotechnology Centre (CNT) in Ostrava (Czech Republic).

Conducting research, you will:

  • Gain an understanding of device design problems

  • Gain familiarity with fabrication processes

  • Learn characterization procedures.

Energy stream

Energy stream trainees, meanwhile, go on to additional stays of at least four months at the CFD Research Corporation in Huntsville (US), and/or the Nanophotonic Technology Centre in Valencia (Spain). Via your research, you will:

  • Study device design and modeling

  • Gain familiarity with fabrication processes

  • Learn measurement procedures.

Up to 8 months


Upon returning to Canada, trainees from both streams will process the research results they obtained abroad; continue work on their research topic – and take at least one of these ASPIRE classes:

  • Managing organizational issues

  • Innovation management

  • New venture creation.

In addition, you’ll also need to prepare for long stays in the Canadian companies participating in our program.

Up to 12 months

Information and Communication stream trainees take up internships at OZ Optics, Ultra Electronics Systems or Preciseley Microtechnology Corporation.

Energy stream trainees, meanwhile, take up internships at Thermodynamics, Cyrium Technologies or Satlantic.

Up to 10 months


On return to your home university, you’ll need to:

  • Finish your research and write your thesis
  • Defend your thesis.

As a non-credit yet important aspect of your training, you’ll also need to take part in the following:

  • Specialized courses, offered by industry leaders, on engineering, production, commercialization, and marketing 

  • HR presentations designed to prepare you for employment interviews

  • Coaching on your transition into employment 

  • Seminars on patents and intellectual property (in collaboration with  Innovacorp and Dal’s Industrial Relations Office)

  • Oral and written communications skills training (home university)

  • Mini-conference every two years. Here, you’ll present your research.