For the latest in the series of jIAPS Interviews, the jIAPS Editor-in-Chief interviewed the IAPS Events Manager. Leonor is a final-year MSc student in Engineering Physics at the University of Porto in Portugal.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you first got involved with IAPS?
I am a final-year MSc student in Engineering Physics at the University of Porto in Portugal. Throughout my academic career, I’ve always been engaged in student activities, being the president of the Physics Students Society of my university and holding influential positions for students’ rights in the Department of Physics. My path to entering IAPS is quite unusual, I would say. Along my journey, I knew that IAPS was an association for physics students but never got involved in IAPS. I got involved in IAPS through IUPAP AC5, more specifically the AC5 Early Career Scientist Prize. Last year, I applied for this prize and ranked 2nd. This opened the doors for me to get to know IAPS since the awards ceremony took place at ICPS24 in Georgia. Through that experience, I got to know a lot of IAPS people, particularly the Executive Committee, whose support and kindness cannot be described in words. Instantly, I got a feeling that IAPS is an incredible association that can bring value to physics students around the world.
What inspired you to take on the role of Events Manager for IAPS? What excites you most about this position?
As I have said before, I had no understanding of the roles of the Executive Committee of IAPS before getting to know IAPS from the AC5 Early Career Scientist Prize. Thibault, our secretary, was mainly responsible for my call for Events Manager at the last AGM. He believed in my skills and was happy to guide me through the whole candidacy procedure—a thank you is never enough for everything that he has done for me at that time. After reading the responsibilities and obligations of the role, I believed that it was a good fit for me to grow even more in event organization and planning. My passion for events related to physics was the main driver for my candidacy for this position. I am happy that people trusted me with that responsibility, and I am excited to deliver the events they are expecting! 🙂
As the Events Manager, what are some of the key responsibilities you have? Could you share a bit about how you plan and organize IAPS events?
The Events Manager is a complex position because it involves a lot of different work. Within the Executive Committee, this position requires collaboration with the IT Manager, PR Manager, Recruitment Manager, Membership & Advocacy Manager, and obviously, the President for External Relations and the Treasurer for financial matters. I imagine the Events Manager position as a LEGO structure, where a lot of pieces (OC members, EC members, and volunteers) come together to form the Hogwarts Castle (the event). I won’t lie to you—the workload of managing different events at the same time can be overwhelming. I try to stay on top of every task that is assigned to me or the OCs, but it requires outstanding organization and project management skills. With motivation and passion, everything ends up being fun! 🙂
Outside of organizing events, what else are you passionate about? Do you have any hobbies or interests that you enjoy outside of IAPS?
I have a lot of interests outside of IAPS. One of my favourite relaxing activities is going to concerts of my favourite artists. I usually go to four shows per year and one or two big festivals in the summer. I am the kind of fan that waits hours before the opening to be in the first row—sometimes it is extremely tiring, especially in the summer, but it is a rewarding experience in the end. I am also passionate about sports. I have practiced Goju-Ryu Karate for 20 years now (I started at three years old), and now it is a way of living. It gives me clarity, reduces stress, and helps me stay focused. I’ve tried a lot of sports in the past, but Karate is the one that keeps my heart. Other sports, like running, tennis, soccer, and volleyball, I only practice on holidays, not as a habit. Besides that, I enjoy reading and going for long walks near the sea or in nature—Portugal has warm weather to do it even in the winter, which is why I love my home city. I imagine myself living in Porto for the rest of my life.
What advice would you give to students or members who are interested in getting more involved in IAPS, either through attending events or volunteering?
IAPS is a great place to have fun and make new friends, but it is also a place for you to grow. If you are pursuing a new quest in your journey, IAPS could be your best ally. Attending events is a great way to see what IAPS can offer you, and volunteering in the Working Groups, for example, brings you closer to the Executive Committee members. With that, you can experience what we do and how we do our job and possibly in the future apply for one of the available positions. In other words, you can gain valuable experience that, even if you do not apply for an EC position, will certainly have an impact on your future projects. To know more about an IAPS role that you are interested in, you can always contact the responsible members—all of the email addresses are displayed on the IAPS website.
If you had to explain your role at IAPS using only food metaphors, how would you describe what you do?
That one is interesting!! I think the Events position is not like the others because it involves not only your personal work but also managing the work that the Organizing Committees develop. I imagine my position as a wedding cake, with a lot of layers and coatings, to present and unfold at the perfect moment—the event’s week. The work of each individual is like an ingredient of the cake, that all together forms an outstanding dessert. I am the oven, who puts the ingredients together and turns the final cake solid.