We spoke with Lina Valle, an accelerator physicist, co-organiser of the early-career network accelECR and presenter of the Early Career Forum during the closing plenary session of FCC Week. We discussed the Forum and its role in supporting the next generation of researchers.

What is the FCC Early Career Forum?

It is a place to meet other early-career professionals and collaborators who are working on or interested in the FCC project, regardless of their field.

Then, who are early-career professionals?

Many definitions exist. We deliberately broadened ours to be more inclusive, since it’s hard to objectively draw a line for exactly how many years of experience mark the end of someone’s early career, even more so considering how nonlinear academic careers have become. So, in practice, anyone who wants to participate is welcome.

What is the goal of these types of networks?

When I arrived at CERN, I was surprised by how specialized every project was. It can be genuinely difficult for people to recognize the skills they have developed and mastered across different roles at CERN and how applicable they are outside the laboratory. That’s one of the reasons why I joined forces with Laurence Wroe to found the accelECR network, and why I recently volunteered in the FCC Early Career Forum. The Forum is a place for exchanging expertise and sharing professional and personal experiences of working in particle and accelerator physics. Initiatives like this help early-career professionals in many ways, from settling into a new laboratory to finding training opportunities.

Why is it important to have such a network in projects such as the FCC?

This is even more critical for a long-timescale project like the FCC: it will require generations of scientists, engineers, and technicians to design, build, operate and exploit it. From the perspective of knowledge transfer and career paths, the ECF helps new arrivals navigate the project’s timeline and objectives, gives current ECPs a platform to exchange and gain visibility, and helps everyone identify new collaboration opportunities.

What are the main activities you are planning within the FCC network?

Since 2025, the ECF has held an event every two months, each on a different topic related to the FCC. We have brought together experts and early-career professionals to present overviews of various aspects of the project. The format works very well, and I hope we can keep it going. 

How was the reception of the Forum during FCC Week?

FCC Week is a very enjoyable conference because everything is somehow connected to what you are working on, and it fosters discussions and exchanges with peers. Attendance was high, and we doubled the number of volunteers involved in organising the Forum. You could really feel people’s willingness to participate. We reached a large number of people and conveyed some key messages about the importance of supporting early-career professionals.

Why is it important for early-career researchers to join the network?

It’s important to meet other people, build your network, and stay informed rather than feeling isolated at your institution. This is an excellent platform to showcase your work and discuss challenges you may be facing, whether professional, personal, or career-related – because you’re rarely the only one facing a given problem. You can brainstorm solutions together, whether they relate to your work, the project itself, or something entirely different. The more people who join, the stronger our representation and the louder our collective voice will be.