The use of lasers by the academic community continues to dramatically escalate. Academia is inundated with a profusion of lasers, each with a diverse function. Traditional departments such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics have introduced the use of lasers as an essential element of tutelage. Even the more distinctive departments such as Cancer Research, Civil Engineering, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Plasma Fusion, Spectroscopy and so forth, have incorporated the laser in the composition of their education mechanism.
This paper also will discuss the development of a proposed new laser safety standard by an ANSI adhoc committee intended to provide adequate, reasonable, and practical Guidance for Educators, Students, and Spectators found in Classrooms, Lecture Halls, and Laboratories associated with Universities, Colleges, and High Schools.