Madison Rilling

Dr. Madison Rilling is Executive Director of Optonique, a nonprofit dedicated to growing Québec’s photonics community, home to nearly 50% of Canada’s industry of light-based technologies. Working hand in hand with businesses of all sizes, academia and government, Optonique unites and mobilizes all players in Québec’s photonics sector around the common goals of innovation, growth and competitiveness. This role involves Madison in an array of innovation, trade and workforce policy development, as well as diplomatic efforts at both the provincial and federal levels.

Madison holds a Joint Honours in Math and Physics (McGill University, 2014), a Master’s in Medical Physics (ULaval, 2016) and a PhD in Physics (ULaval, 2020), after which she worked as a clinical medical physicist in radiation oncology. She was a student advisor to Québec’s Chief Scientist and sole student board member of the Fonds de recherche – Nature et technologies (2016-2019) as well as a member of Canada’s Chief Science Advisor (CSA)’s inaugural Youth Council (2020-2023), acting as a strong advocate at the science-policy interface for the next generation of scientists. She now serves as a mentor for the 2023-2026 CSA Youth Council.

In 2021, Madison received the prestigious Optica Pivoting Fellowship, awarded to an early-career optical scientist contributing their expertise to the betterment of society. In 2023, she was selected as one of two Canadians among a cohort of 30 leaders from 25 countries to take part in an immersive science diplomacy program at the United Nations in Geneva. In 2023-2024, she was also one of 17 Fellows of Action Canada, the country’s leading incubator of public policy leaders. In addition to her various advisory roles within Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem, she serves as Canada’s representative on the Public Policy Committee of SPIE (The International Society of Optics and Photonics), as well as on Optica’s Public Affairs Council & its International Photonics Advisory Council.

Born and raised in Québec City, Madison loves to be outdoors—either (ultra)trail running, playing beach volleyball, or cycling. In 2023, she was the 4th woman to cross the finish line at the Ultra Trail Gaspésia 80, a trail race between sea and mountains of 85 km with a 3200-m ascent.