Professor Alessia Pasquazi is lead researcher in Loughborough University’s Emergent Photonics Research Centre.

Alessia actively contributes to the global academic community, serving as a member and chair of panels for numerous conferences organised by SPIE, OPTICA and IEEE. She served a two-year term as the programme and general chair for OSA Nonlinear Photonics (2018-20) and currently holds the same role with CLEO-EU EQEC (2025).

CLEO®/Europe-EQEC is Europe’s premier event for optics and photonics, gathering leading researchers, engineers, and innovators from around the globe. The conference drives groundbreaking advancements in laser physics, optical engineering, real-world laser technology, nonlinear optics, and quantum science. The 2025 conference took place 23-27 June in Munich.

Alessia discusses the skills required to be an effective Program Chair.

How did you become the EQEC Program Chair for CLEO®/Europe-EQEC 2025?

I gained experience by serving on technical committees at various conferences, gradually taking on roles with increasing responsibility—from subcommittee chair to program and general chair of specialized conferences, and eventually to this position. To take on such roles, you need to be well connected within the scientific community and trends and highly organised. Typically, you are selected by colleagues who have previously served in these positions.

What does the role involve?

The role involves guiding the scientific direction of the conference. This includes coordinating the subcommittees and their chairs, defining the topical structure, organizing special sessions (such as plenaries and keynotes), and overseeing the overall scheduling. We also plan engagement activities for specific groups, such as early-career researchers.

What do you enjoy most about the role?

It offers the opportunity to understand and contribute to scientific trends while promoting broad participation from across the research community.

What skills do you believe are required to be a Program Chair?

Patience, flexibility, strong planning skills, and a broad vision of emerging scientific directions.

What advice would you give to colleagues who are interested in becoming a Program Chair?

Start by joining technical committees and organising smaller workshops. This will help you build an understanding of how conference organization works and what it takes to develop an engaging scientific program that connects with diverse research communities.

First published: 7 July 2025

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