SÍLE NIC CHORMAIC

Professor, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST)
Irish, living in Okinawa, Japan
Síle is an atomic and laser physicist and heads the Light-Matter Interactions for Quantum Technologies Unit at OIST for the last 9 years. Having studied and worked in Ireland, the UK, France, Austria, Australia, Germany, and Japan, she’s passionate about travel and using her international experience and viewpoint to improve the status of women in academia. Aside from her research in basic physics, she exploits her knowledge to develop optics-based tools for a range of topics that branch across to other disciplines, such as neuro-imaging and environmental monitoring. In her spare time, when not travelling overseas, she enjoys exploring the many islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago by foot or bicycle; 2020 was a particularly fruitful year for this pastime.