Alexandra Alexandrova, from the University of Liverpool and the Cockcroft Institute, participated in the 4th International Conference on Photoptics, Optics and Laser Technology, Photoptics 2016. The conference took place in Rome, Italy, between 27th-29th February. The event featured the latest trends in optics, photonics and lasers and their use and impact on modern society. This includes medical applications, space exploration, telecommunications and information technology. Presentations and posters covered both theoretical and practical aspects of on-going research from all over the world, thus highlighting the wide range of novel R&D within the field. Ms. Alexandrova was specifically invited to talk about the scientific achievements and training vision of the CI-coordinated international network LA3NET. This provided her with an opportunity to present a summary of the main research results of this highly successful network and at the same time illustrate the many areas where the laser and accelerator communities can efficiently work together. She also presented her recently founded company D-Beam as one result from this international training initiative.
Furthermore, she also took part in a panel discussion. This allowed reflecting on existing opportunities for collaboration and funding, help improve the understanding of the issues which can arise when applying for a grant, and discussing how to find partner organizations for project within Horizon 2020.