Women in Research #LINO24: Luana Olivieri

Luana from Italy is a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow at the Emergent Photonics Research Centre, Loughborough University (UK).

Her research focuses on developing novel “nonlinear” platforms for imaging objects at hard-to-reach wavelengths (like terahertz). She is now investigating novel methods for imaging objects embedded in complex media – materials that scatter light by changing its straight path – thus invisible by standard approaches.

Luana participated in the 73^rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.

Enjoy the interview with Luana and get inspired:

What inspired you to pursue a career in science / in your discipline?

I cannot say that I have always been captivated by physics, as I found it extremely boring in school. I did enjoy maths and philosophy.

After high school, I attended a university open day that sparked my curiosity. We made rudimentary solar cells using blueberries and graphite, and I was instantly hooked. Despite my initial uncertainties, I followed my instincts and enrolled in physics. From the moment I started university, I knew I was in the right place. My passion for nonlinear optics bloomed much later during my master’s course at La Sapienza University of Rome.

Who are your role models?

Growing up and studying in Italy, I struggled to find role models I could relate to. Even today, statistically, many women after childbirth have to give up working, and the housewife lifestyle wasn’t really my cup of tea. Physics is also a field that is still fundamentally male-dominated, so it was hard to find female mentors.

In 2018, while I was starting my career in nonlinear optics and LASERs, Donna Strickland was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for her studies on CPA. She was also only the third woman to be awarded the prize in over a century. It felt surreal, like a cloak of invisibility was finally off, and I celebrated the news as if we had won the World Cup final! And I keep on celebrating…

Now, as a research fellow in the UK, I am grateful to be part of a network of such inspiring and supporting women who are progressing to advanced leadership positions.

How did you get to where you are in your career path?

As a first-generation scholar, I am very grateful for my family’s support and the Italian public education system. My parents and my nan saved a small pot of money for me to do what I liked (something close to a dowry, traditionally used for weddings), but they were happy I used it to study and buy university books instead. Once I finished my master’s course, choosing a PhD as the first step in my academic career came naturally, and I loved my time in Brighton (UK). In the last year of my PhD, however, COVID-19 hit, and I found myself without a job for a long time. That was the most testing time for my academic career, as my pursuit of “curiosity” wasn’t paying the bills or placing a roof over my head. I was fuming! I debated quitting science, but I waited until the end of the pandemic instead. Eventually, I reached out to good mentors and started working again in the lab.

Now, I hold a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship, a grant that allows me freedom of research for three years!

What is the coolest project you have worked on and why?

One of the coolest projects I’ve worked on was part of the European Research Council-funded grant. I explored the potential of the technology we just invented to capture detailed images using terahertz waves, a technique that can penetrate materials and reveal hidden features with high resolution.

Being at the forefront of science is extremely exciting and rewarding, yet it can be intimidating. You feel like a detective.

What’s a time you felt immense pride in yourself / your work?

I remember the frustration of learning how to align a complex setup and finally finding my first signal. I still clearly remember it. I listened to “Africa” by Toto, and now this song is forever associated with this memory.

I felt incredibly proud of each award, but I felt particularly sentimental during my PhD graduation. My family flew to celebrate the moment with me. It was such a great time!

What is a “day in the life” of you like?

There isn’t a typical day in this job, but if I’m not on my desk writing papers or grant applications, it would be something like this:

9 am – As you walk into the lab, you’d want to turn on the “big” laser and give it a chance to warm up and get ready. While it wakes up, there is a traditional coffee group where we all gather to chit-chat. 9.30-12 am – the thermal fluctuation and possible vibrations might have misaligned the optics on the table overnight (even a fraction of a millimeter off can cause you to lose your signal). This is when you perfect or modify your setup, optimizing the signal over the noise from the environment. 13-17 pm – this is when you run scans, take images, and analyze data. Evenings are for hobbies: fantasy (tabletop) roleplay games, rock climbing, painting, and kayaking. PS. Photonics folk are renowned for their nocturnal behavior which is encouraged by the flexible working conditions. Add between 0 and +5/6 hours to the schedule above. Sprinkle 2-3 additional coffee/tea breaks throughout the day.

What are you seeking to accomplish in your career?

I hope I will be able to continue my career in science in a way that brings me joy: that I will be allowed to pursue my interests freely in a sustainable way and that I will be able to impact others positively.
Besides my research interests, I really hope that someone, by looking at me, will say, “If she can do it, I can do it too,” and start this amazing journey. As a writer, I would say “journey before destination.”

What do you like to do when you’re not doing research?

I am a deeply curious person; I love trying new activities, but I’m not necessarily good at any of them. In Rome (IT), I picked up sailing (I’m a certified sailor) and playing the piano. While in Brighton (UK), I learned to scuba dive (Open Ocean BSAC diver) and surf. Now that I’m in Loughborough (UK), possibly the furthest point from the ocean, I am learning rock climbing and gardening. In the future, I can see myself learning to fly an airplane and glass blowing.

What advice do you have for other women interested in science / in your discipline?

Let your curiosity drive your career decisions. If it’s not fun enough, it’s not worth it. Find ways to laugh at failures while learning from them. Find good mentors who are happy to share their knowledge, network, and wisdom.

In your opinion, what will be the next great breakthrough in science / in your discipline?

Imaging – to reveal details of objects that are not yet visible – could have a groundbreaking impact on society, from being able to detect damaged tissues to helping find cures for diseases.

Optical computing. Optical telecommunication has revolutionized society for the way we transmit information. Imagine what optical computing will do to calculus, manipulating lasers to perform computational tasks at the speed of light.

What should be done to increase the number of female scientists and professors?

The combination of mentorship and funding is what makes a real opportunity. We need to introduce women to professional networks, recognize their contribution to scientific discoveries, and fund their research interests.

As scientists, we are all responsible for raising issues when events, professional bodies, or scientific boards are not being inclusive.