ORC colleagues come together to celebrate success and strengthen connections
The Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) community came together on Friday the 10th of July for an event that provided colleagues with the opportunity to network, share experiences and celebrate the Centre's achievements. A highlight of the day was welcoming former ORC colleague Dr Angeles Camacho, who delivered an inspiring alumni talk to colleagues and friends.
The event opened with an introduction from Professor Natalie Wheeler, who provided an update on the ORC's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) initiatives and ongoing efforts to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all staff and students.
Attendees then heard from Dr Camacho, a photonics engineer, innovation leader and Business Unit Director at Coractive High-Tech Inc. A former Research Fellow at the ORC, Dr Camacho contributed to pioneering research on hollow-core fibre technologies before moving into industry leadership. Alongside her professional achievements, she is a passionate advocate for STEM education and diversity, co-founding the IEEE Photonics Society's Iluminando el Futuro outreach initiative and being recognised by Forbes as one of Mexico's 100 Most Powerful and Influential Women.
During her talk, Dr Camacho reflected on her career journey, the transferable skills she developed during her time at the University of Southampton, and the importance of resilience in overcoming challenges. She also spoke about the underrepresentation of women in STEM and encouraged colleagues to continue supporting diversity and inclusion across the sector.
A key theme of Dr Camacho’s presentation was mentorship. Drawing on her own experiences, Dr Camacho highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge, building professional networks and supporting others throughout their careers. She described the ORC community as approachable, collaborative and supportive, encouraging colleagues to recognise the positive impact they can have as mentors and role models.
Following lunch, ORC Director Professor Graham Reed reflected on some of the Centre's key achievements over the past year and thanked colleagues for their ongoing contributions. He also welcomed Dr Qiang Li to the ORC. Dr Li joins the University from Cardiff University and will be part of the Photonic Systems, Circuits and Sensors Group, led by Professor Anna Peacock.
The event provided a valuable opportunity for colleagues to connect, celebrate achievements and reflect on the supportive and collaborative culture that continues to underpin the ORC community.