Robert Parada

Robert Parada is an instructor in the Optical Systems Technology department of MCC, a unique, high-demand program that prepares graduates for work in high technology fields involving light and optical principles.  He recently held several senior-level positions at Syntec Optics, one of the largest custom optics and photonics manufacturers in the United States.  Rob joined Syntec in 2014 as VP of Operations. From 2015 till 2017, he led Syntec’s customer product development division which encompasses manufacturing engineering, program management, tooling design, optical and opto-mechanical design, and optical thin film coating.  From 2018-2020, he served as General Manager of the corporation. Before joining Syntec, Rob held numerous R&D leadership roles at Eastman Kodak Company where he was awarded several patents, and he was VP of Engineering at a high-technology panoramic imaging startup company in New England. Rob received his BS degree in Imaging Science from Rochester Institute of Technology, his MS and Ph.D. degrees in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona, and a second doctoral degree in optics from the Université du Littoral Côte d’Opale in France.