FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orlando, FL — September 4, 2026 — The strength of The Laser Institute lies in its community, and a crucial part of this community is our Board of Trustees. Their leadership guides and supports all of our activities, ensuring we continue advancing lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide.
We are pleased to announce the candidates selected by the Nominating Committee for the 2027 Trustee election. These individuals embody the spirit of LIA’s mission through their work in the field and their contributions to the laser industry.
Position | Candidate | Affiliation |
|---|
| President | Bo Gu, Ph.D. | BOS Photonics |
| Vice President | Gerarda Evangelista | Amplitude Laser Inc |
| Treasurer | Scott Benjamin, Ph.D. | Advanced Integration & Mentoring |
| Secretary | Robert Thomas, Ph.D. | US Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Trustee | Marcel Bachmann, Ph.D. | Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) |
| Trustee | Marc Kirchhoff | TRUMPF North America |
| Trustee | Klaus Krastel, Ph.D. | MaxPhotonics |
| Trustee | Simon Lappi, Ph.D. | RTI International |
| Trustee | Alexander Olowinsky, Ph.D. | Fraunhofer ILT |
| Trustee | Chris Pinciak | SCANLAB North America |
| Trustee | Jared Speltz | University of Dayton Research Institute |
| Trustee | Jianhua Yao, Ph.D. | Zhejiang University of Technology |
For Trustees, the top four candidates ranked by the most votes will be selected for the 2027-2029 Trustee class.
We extend our congratulations to the nominees. We ask LIA Members to please watch their inboxes for the ballots that will be sent out in the coming weeks.
Save the Date - The selected individuals elected to the LIA Board will be announced at this year's LIA Annual Meeting, taking place as part of the ICALEO program at the Denver Hilton City Center in Denver, CO on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 11:30am (MDT) at the LIA Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon.
About The Laser Institute
Founded in 1968, The Laser Institute (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety worldwide. As the secretariat and publisher of the ANSI Z136 laser safety standards and the publisher of the Journal of Laser Applications, LIA serves academia, industry, and government through conferences, educational programs, and standards development. LIA is dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and the safe use of lasers.
Contact: The Laser Institute
+1 (407) 380-1553, lia@lia.org