 The college houses the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL), the Florida Photonics Center of Excellence (FPCE), and the Townes Laser Institute.The Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers (CREOL) is a research center within the Orlando, Florida-based College of Optics and Photonics (COP), which itself includes undergraduate coursework and is a graduate college for optical science and engineering at the University of Central Florida.The idea for a research center dedicated to optics that would support the growth of Florida's high-tech industry began with the formation of the Florida High Technology and Industry Council (FHTIC) in the mid-1980s.