ORC Women in Optics group hosts engaging workshop

On Friday 1st May, the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) Women in Optics group hosted a workshop welcoming women from across the ORC.

The session featured an inspiring talk from guest facilitator Silvia Cante (PhD), Senior Optical Engineer at NKT Photonics. Silvia spoke about her career journey including her life before optical engineering as a basketball player and offered valuable insight into her work developing lasers. She also shared how she structures her workdays to manage the demands of a high-pressure environment, emphasising the importance of wellbeing. In particular, she highlighted her commitment to taking a daily lunchtime run “with no exception”, which for Silvia is a way to avoid burnout.

A key part of Silvia’s session focused on her experiences working in a predominantly male-dominated environment. In her current role, Silvia is one of eight female colleagues in a UK team of 50 employees. Her honest and reflective account resonated strongly with attendees and sparked a thoughtful and engaging discussion around representation, challenges, and opportunities for women in the field. Participants were encouraged to share their own experiences and perspectives, fostering a supportive and collaborative atmosphere throughout the workshop.

Special thanks go to Silvia for generously sharing her experiences and to all delegates for attending and contributing to a thought-provoking session.

For more information about the Women in Optics group and details of future workshops, please email Davina Macnally.