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New horizons in metrology

Plenary session
Tuesday 16 March 2027
11:00 am to 12:30 pm

3 leading experts take us on a journey across the scales of measurement: from the sun and the Earth, to digital tools, and down to the quantum world.

They will show how measurement science is evolving to meet the challenges of tomorrow, and how metrology underpins climate observation, digital transformation and quantum technologies, from primary standards to quantum computing.

Plenary speakers

Louis Wright

Digital metrology progress so far and future directions

Louise Wright - NPL / United Kingdom

A look at how digital tools are changing the way measurements are made, shared and trusted, and where the field is heading next.

Louise Wright is the Head of Digital Metrology and Head of Science for Data Science at the UK’s National Physical Laboratory. She joined NPL in 1999 after a degree and an MSc in mathematics and four years of industrial mathematical modelling, and has applied her technical skills in multiple areas of metrology since then. Her role as Head of Digital Metrology involves enabling her colleagues to make the most of digital approaches to save time, reduce error rates, and develop innovative tools for delivery of measurement data to end users. Her leadership of the Data Science team complements this by ensuring the team develops the technical capabilities to support the end goals of digital metrology within NPL and beyond. Louise chairs the newly-formed EURAMET General Assembly Working Group on Metrology for Digitalisation and the CIPM Forum on Metrology and Digitalisation (FORUM-MD) Working Group for Regional Metrology Organisations.

Louis Wright

Solar radiation measurements and remote sensing applications

Julian Gröbner - PMOD/WRC / Switzerland

How accurate measurements of solar radiation support climate observation and remote sensing applications.

Dr. Julian Gröbner is a senior scientist and Head of the World Radiation Center (WRC) at the Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos (PMOD/WRC) in Davos Dorf, Switzerland. Alongside his executive leadership, he leads the Infrared Radiometry Section (WRC-IRS), the World Optical Depth Research and Calibration Center (WRC-WORCC), and the World Calibration Center for UV. His core scientific expertise encompasses atmospheric remote sensing, solar and thermal infrared radiometry, and solar ultraviolet radiation measurements. As an active contributor to the EURAMET Technical Committee for Photometry and Radiometry and PMOD/WRC’s representative to the CCPR, Dr. Gröbner bridges the gap between SI-traceable physical metrology standards and meteorological field observations. Throughout his career, he has specialized in the development, calibration, and quality assurance of optical instrumentation, establishing primary reference standards and measurement protocols alongside international bodies like the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to advance high-precision climate research and global radiometric networks.

Louis Wright
Live demo of a quantum computer

Measuring the quantum world: from primary standards to quantum computing

Pietro Asinari - INRiM / Italy

A journey from primary standards to quantum computing, ending with a live demonstration on stage.

Pietro Asinari is President of the National Institute of Metrology Research (INRiM), where he previously served as Scientific Director, and Full Professor at the Department of Energy of Politecnico di Torino. He is Vice President of the Italian Union of Thermal Fluid Dynamics (UIT) and Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of Torino. His research focuses on energy and environmental sustainability, including renewable technologies for drinking water production, heat and mass transfer in energy systems, and computational materials modelling. He has authored over 150 publications in international journals, including Nature Sustainability, Energy & Environmental Science, and Science Advances, and received the ENI-Italgas Award for Energy and the Environment. He has delivered more than 30 invited and plenary lectures worldwide. He is an International Member of the University of Minnesota MatCore project on FAIR principles in computational research and serves on the Advisory Board of the US OpenKIM project for materials modelling. He previously served on the Operational Management Board of the European Materials Modelling Council (EMMC) and as Project Technical Advisor to the European Commission.

Chairmen and introduction

The 2 co-chairs of the Congress will open the session and guide the discussion.

  • Frédéric Barbaresco Thales, France
  • Philippe Richard METAS, Switzerland