Energy CARLA 2026: Discovering careers in Energy, Environment and Sustainability

On June 29th, ICFO hosted the first edition of Energy CARLA: The Energy Careers Symposium, bringing together students, early-career researchers and professionals interested in exploring how photonics is driving innovation towards a more sustainable future.

Throughout the afternoon, participants took part in a programme combining keynote presentations, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. The symposium provided valuable insights into career paths across academia and innovation, while showcasing the growing role of photonics in addressing global challenges related to energy, environment, and sustainability.

The programme opened with welcome remarks by Lydia Sanmartí-Vila (ICFO), followed by an overview of the Energy and Sustainability landscape in photonics delivered by F. Pelayo García de Arquer (ICFO), introducing participants to current challenges and emerging opportunities within the sector.

The Academic Careers Panel, moderated by Alastair Cunningham (ICFO), featured Francisco Bernal (ICFO), Libai Huang (Purdue University), Monica Lira-Cantú (ICN2), and Nicoletta Liguori (ICFO). The discussion offered different perspectives on building a research career in energy-related photonics, covering topics such as international mobility, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the evolving role of researchers in addressing sustainability challenges.

Following the networking coffee break, participants attended the session Innovation and Emerging Trends in Energy and Sustainability, where Júlia Viladoms Claverol (ICIQ), Miquel Anglada Autet (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), and Sergi Cuesta Arcos (Vitsolc) presented recent developments at the intersection of photonics, innovation, and sustainable technologies.

The event concluded with the Innovation Careers Panel, moderated by Luis Guillermo Gerling (ICFO), where speakers shared their professional journeys and discussed career opportunities beyond academia, highlighting the growing importance of innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer within the European photonics ecosystem.

Closing remarks by Alice La Porta (ICFO) were followed by an aperitivo and networking session, providing participants with the opportunity to exchange ideas and connect directly with researchers, innovators, and fellow students.

The event received excellent feedback from participants, achieving an overall satisfaction score of 4.5 out of 5. Participants particularly appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, reflected in an inclusivity rating of 4.75 out of 5, while 100% said they would recommend the symposium to a friend or colleague. Furthermore, 93% reported that they benefited from attending, highlighting the value of the event for career development and networking.

Participants highlighted the practical value of the symposium, particularly the opportunity to better understand career pathways in both academia and industry. As one attendee commented:

“The symposium is a invaluable source of knowledge and bring researchers have a significant impact on science, so it deserves to be continuously developed.”

Another participant emphasised the impact of hearing different career experiences:

“The discussions about different career pathways after the PhD were extremely useful and offered valuable perspectives for my future.”

The symposium was organised by ICFO within the framework of the 360 CARLA project, supporting the next generation of photonics professionals by strengthening connections between academia, innovation, and industry in the fields of energy, environment, and sustainability.