Young physicist Humeyra Caglayan received a European Research Council (ERC) grant after taking part in a COST Action on how to harness light energy. Nanoscale Quantum Optics has kick-started both her international career and a drive to greater gender equality in this field, she says.
Nanoscale Quantum Optics investigated how to control the interaction between light particles – known as photons – and matter, with far-reaching possibilities for information processing, sensing and measurement, light sources and sustainable energy.
[Picture credits: Intel Free Press // Creative Commons.]
Specialists in nanophotonics, quantum optics and materials science from 40 countries participated in the COST Action. For Caglayan, the network was a chance to discover research opportunities beyond her native Türkiye, where she had been awarded her PhD.
“I learned about European Research Council grants through the Action,” she says. “In a workshop, I got feedback about how to improve my idea and mature it for the application. The Action helped me to integrate my research within the broader topic.”
Caglayan was successful in receiving the grant, which funds aQUARiUM, the project she now leads at Tampere University in Finland. Her research aims to increase the range of conditions under which single photons can be exploited, so that photon-driven devices could one day be on the market.
Empowering young researchers and women
There was another welcome impact for her long-term career. “It was the start of my international professional network,” Caglayan says. “There are not many people in my field in Türkiye. Through meetings and short-term scientific missions, COST Actions provide a unique opportunity for early-stage researchers to assert their independence and develop contacts.”
“We welcomed all who were interested, both from the EU and outside the EU. This creates opportunities for young researchers and makes the EU stronger.”
Dr Humeyra Caglayan
Caglayan added to these opportunities for other young scientists by acting as the COST network’s early-stage research advisor, a role created by the Action Chair, Professor Mario Agio.
She explains that young researchers often find it challenging to direct their careers to either academic research, industry or as an entrepreneur. “We held workshops to discuss the options and to share our experience,” Caglayan says.
Professor Agio also created the role of gender balance advisor to address the low participation of women in the field. “The Action started an inclusive conversation. We explored the issues with every member and between generations,” Caglayan explains.
In terms of research, the network identified what is missing and challenging in the field and where research could be directed to solve the problems. For example, single-photon detectors and single-photon emitters could enable secure quantum communications systems, for faster, more responsive computers, according to Caglayan.
Cooperation between research and industry which began in Nanoscale Quantum Optics continues to investigate potential applications of this promising technology in start-ups QNAMI and nanoPHAB.
Indeed, open collaboration defined NanoScale Quantum Optics and its success. “The Action welcomed everyone who wanted to be involved,” Caglayan says.