CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

The European Optical Society (EOS) will be holding elections to the Board of Directors later this year. With this Call, EOS is seeking nominations. 

The nomination period is now open and will last until 31 March 2026.

• Any EOS individual member can nominate up to three candidates.
• 5 seats are available for election
• Each nomination must be supported by three (or more) members.
• Nominations can be sent by email
• The Elections will be held electronically during 20 April – 20 May 2026

CURRENT EOS BOARD

Board members elected by the EOS members

Ana Gebejes (Finland)

Gladys Minguez Vega (Spain)

Grzegorz Sęk (Poland)

Ignacio Moreno (Spain)

Matthieu Roussey (Finland)

Michael Pfeffer (Germany)

Nathalie Destouches (France)

Paolo Biagioni (Italy)

Roelene Botha (Switzerland)

Valdas Pasiskevicius (Sweden)

Emiliano Descrovi (Italy); EOS President, Elected, and seat automatically reconducted since the beginning of his Presidency

Patricia Segonds (France); EOS Past-President, Elected, but ex-officio seat during her terms as President and then Past-President.

Board members appointed by the National Optical Societies

Alessandro Belardini (Italy): Representative of the small Branches of SIOF (Italy), Wigner (Hungary), and SSOM (Switzerland)

Christian Vogt (Germany): Representative of DGAO (Germany)

Juha Toivonen (Finland): Representative of the small Branches of Photonics Finland (Finland), SOS (Sweden) and LOS (Latvia)

Manuel Filipe Costa (Portugal):  Representative of the Affiliated Societies, PromOptica (Belgium), CSSF (Czech Republic and Slovakia), WLT (Germany), NFS (Norway), PPS (Poland), SPOF (Portugal), SEDOPTICA (Spain), USPAO (Ukraine)

Philippe Adam (France); Representative of SFO (France)

Salah Obayya (Egypt): Representative of IOP (UK)   
 

Board members elected by the advisory committees
Oliver Fähnle (Switzerland): Chair of the Industrial Advisory Committee

Thomas Südmeyer (Switzerland): Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee

BOARD MEMBERS ENDING THEIR SECOND MANDATE

These members will complete their two four-year terms in 2026 and are hence not eligible for re-election at this time. We sincerely thank these board members for their invaluable contributions to the society:

Patricia Segonds (France)
Michael Pfeffer (Germany)
Matthieu Roussey (Finland)
 

BOARD MEMBERS ENDING THEIR FIRST MANDATE (with a possibility to be nominated for second election)

Ana Gebejes (Finland)
Paolo Biagioni (Italy)

The procedures for the elections are governed by Articles 4 and 7 of the Constitution of EOS. Article 4 says: “[Board] Elections by the membership take place every two years, with 5 seats being contested at each election. For consecutive mandates, no more than two are allowed.” Article 7 says: “All individual members of the Society (full, associate, student and corporate) are eligible to vote.”

As to the nomination process, Article 7 continues: “Any member can propose candidates. Each candidate must be nominated by at least three members. Candidates for the Board must be voting members of the [EOS] Society.” Each EOS member is entitled to nominate up to three candidates.
 

EOS House Rules say that “if the nomination is made by letter, this letter must be signed by all three (or more) members making the nomination (though separate letters are, of course, permitted). In the case of email nominations, separate emails are required from the three (or more) members making the nomination. Nominations of candidates are to be sent to the Election Officer.”

According to this, you are asked to send nominations by 31 March 2026, directly the the Election Officer, Gilles Pauliat, by email to: gilles@europeanoptics.org, or by postal mail to the EOS Office to the address:

European Optical Society Oy
Länsikatu 15
80110 Joensuu
Finland

The EOS is committed to maintaining a balanced and inclusive Board, with attention to gender diversity and broad geographical representation. We encourage nominations that help to achieve representation from different groups.

Gilles Pauliat, EOS Election Officer 2026

Patricia Segonds, EOS Deputy Election Officer 2026

20 January 2026