ILSC General Chair
Ramona Gaza
Ph.D.
NASA
Radiation Deputy System Manager and Crew Safety Laser/NIR Lead, NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC)
About Ramona
Dr. Ramona Gaza joined the Space Radiation Analysis Group at NASA Johnson Space Center in 2005 and currently serves as the Human Health and Performance (HH&P) Lead for the Non-Ionizing Radiation Team and the Deputy Radiation System Manager for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV).
Appointed Leidos Technical fellow since 2020, Dr. Gaza is supporting several NASA programs including the International Space Station, the Orion MPCV, the Commercial Crew (CCP), the Gateway, the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), the Human Landing System, and the Commercial LEO Development. Her research and operations work focus on crew protection from space NIR sources such as lasers, natural and artificial incoherent light sources, and radiofrequency emitters; safety hazard analyses for ionizing and non-ionizing radiation risks; crew protection from environmental ionizing radiation including radiation measurements and data analysis using active instruments (e.g., direct-ion storage devices, Timepix technology, etc.) and OSL/TL radiation detectors; contributions to research studies on radiation effects and mitigation for crew protection; space weather monitoring and real-time solar event contingency support to the NASA/JSC Flight Team.
Dr. Gaza currently serves as the Health Physics Society NIR Section President and is author/co-author for 100+ peer-reviewed publications and presentations and received a series of awards for her contributions to space exploration, most recent include: the Leidos Spot Award for sustained efforts in leading the JSC’s Non-Ionizing Radiation (NIR) crew protection across multiple programs such as the ISS, MPCV, Commercial Crew, Gateway and Human Landing System; the JSC Group Achievement Award for exemplary technical excellence in providing human system requirements and gap analysis to achieve a successful HALO PDR (2021); the Oklahoma State University Distinguished Alumni Award (2021); the NASA Group Achievement Award for SpaceX Demo-2 (2020); the NASA Award for Technical Excellence in Enabling the Successful Execution of the Orion MPCV Exploration Mission 2 Critical Design Review (2019); the NASA Group Achievement Award for significant contributions to the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Project (2018); and the NASA CCP Team JSC Director's Innovation Team Award (2017).
She earned a B.Sc. in Physics from the West University of Timisoara, Romania, and a Ph.D. in Physics from Oklahoma State University, USA.
Welcome to ILSC® 2027! We are pleased to announce that this most important conference will convene March 8-11 in Houston, Texas. Should your interest be in medical, industrial, R&D, or biological effects, you will find something of interest for you here.
Scientific sessions will address developments in regulatory, mandatory and voluntary safety standards for laser products and for laser use. The Practical Applications Seminars (PAS) complement the Scientific Sessions by exploring everyday scenarios that the LSO and MLSO may encounter. Professionals in all fields and applications will find ILSC a tremendous source for information and networking opportunities.
LSSS
Laser Safety Scientific Sessions
The Laser Safety Scientific Sessions provide the platform for a truly outstanding assortment of presentations from all fields of laser safety— from bioeffects research to probabilistic risk assessment, from safety management programs to regulations. LSSS are particularly strong on product safety standards and the design of safe consumer products, reflecting that laser technology permeates into various types of consumer products, where safety by design is imperative.
TPAS
Technical Practical Applications Seminar
The Technical Practical Applications Seminar (TPAS) is designed for Laser Safety Officers (LSOs) and Professionals who manage lasers across a broad spectrum of power levels, from milliwatts to petawatts, and who oversee a range of users from small teams to large-scale operations with hundreds of users. Join your peers and experts from academia, industry, and national research labs to explore the latest insights into the technical and practical aspects of laser safety. Gain valuable perspectives on tackling laser safety challenges, learn how others manage, innovate and discover new strategies for addressing evolving safety challenges. Whether you’re working in cutting-edge research or applied industry settings, this track will provide a unique and rare opportunity to connect, share experiences, and enhance your expertise. Don’t miss the chance to network with leading laser safety professionals and gain actionable knowledge that can directly improve safety protocols and risk management in your workplace.
MPAS
Medical Practical Applications Seminar
The Medical Practical Applications Seminar (MPAS) is an essential two-day conference for all professionals working with medical laser devices. This program is designed to meet the various educational needs of the Medical Laser Safety Officer along with that personnel working in operating rooms, surgical centers, aesthetic clinics, veterinary clinics, medical research labs, mobile laser companies, and medi-spas. Cognitive gaps do exist related to national governmental regulations, state statutes, and evidence-based practices regarding what is essential for a facility-based laser safety program. This conference is constructed to bring all attendees the most current safety regulations and practice standards.