Seeing the first electrons circulating in EBS was a very emotional moment: after working closely with a team of around 200 people in the EBS adventure over the last six years, you feel responsible for the machine. It has been an amazing journey, working with outstanding people and dealing with the stresses and challenges of each new phase, but at that precise instant all the pressure went away.
One of the most rewarding things has been the human side of the project – working with new people and being able to motivate them to develop professionally, grow in confidence and achieve things they thought they weren’t capable of. I always try to listen to people, to reassure them and support them. In the 1990s, I worked on the construction of the third generation synchrotron, which, for me, was an example to follow.
Creating good working relationships based on mutual respect and understanding is key for the success – both short-term and long-term – of a mammoth project like EBS. Working on EBS has been exceptional. I never imagined my career would offer me so many interesting opportunities.