Laserlab-Europe AISBL elects Jens Biegert as new Executive Director and appoints new Board members
The General Assembly of Laserlab-Europe AISBL, the international not-for-profit association representing 45 leading laser research infrastructures in 22 European countries, elects Jens Biegert from ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona, Spain, as new Executive Director and appoints new Management Board members.
Jens Biegert is succeeding Claes-Göran Wahlström from the Lund Laser Centre in Sweden, who served as Executive Director since the creation of Laserlab-Europe AISBL in 2018 and who will continue as a member of the Management Board.
“I am honoured to take over the helm of Laserlab-Europe AISBL and I warmly thank Claes-Göran Wahlström for his key role in shaping the Laserlab-Europe community. Our community plays a pivotal role in addressing societal challenges and, thus, it is crucial to give our long-term collaboration continuity. I am excited about the challenges and opportunities lying ahead and look forward to serving the Laserlab Community in this new role.” stated Jens Biegert.
Outgoing Executive Director Claes-Göran remarked: “As Europe is strengthening its efforts in research and development to respond to urgent societal challenges, we need to make sure that the potential of demand- and curiosity-driven laser research is unlocked and developed further. Light, and laser light in particular, provides innovations which will have a tremendous impact on European sustainable development and prosperity. In this respect, I am confident that Jens Biegert will be a crucial asset for our organisation”.
The General Assembly of Laserlab-Europe AISBL also renewed the Management Board members and User Representatives, with the election of:
Management Board:
Colin Danson
Cristina Hernandez-Gomez
Sylvie Jacquemot
Britta Redlich
Marc Vrakking
Claes-Göran Wahlström
Rosa Weigand (User Representative)
User Representatives:
Helder Crespo
Susan Quinn
Rosa Weigand
The members of the General Assembly congratulate Jens Biegert and the members of the Management Board on their election and thank Claes-Göran Wahlström for his achievements and commitment in leading the Laserlab-Europe consortium.
The new Executive Director is elected for 5 years and the Management Board for 3 years as of the 2nd of November 2021.
Laserlab-Europe provides leadership in laser-based and photonics research, and in related technologies, through a wide range of world-leading investigative capabilities, user training, and services. The association understands itself as the home for laser-based research in Europe, formulating and promoting new developments in laser-based research that are pursued in a flexible and co-ordinated fashion beyond the potential of a national scale.