The Florida Photonics Center of Excellence, FPCE, was awarded $4.5 million in state funding to establish a program on advanced laser technologies to help strengthen the state’s position in the medical and defense laser sectors, and in the laser manufacturing tool industry as well as in high-power laser research. The FPCE, along with CREOL, the Center for Research and Education for Optics and Lasers, is part of the graduate-level College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The Laser Technology Initiative was one of six research centers recently approved by the Florida State University system board of governors. The new laser center also has received internal matching funds from the university, including $750,000 for the creation of five faculty positions, along with allotments for infrastructure costs.