Associate Professor Elena Giannaccini is playing an important role in helping to ensure accessibility and inclusion at the 2026 IEEE Conference on Telepresence. Invited to join the conference organising committee by General Co-Chair Professor Giacinto Barresi from the University of the West of England (UWE), Elena has been working closely with fellow organisers as Co-Chair for Equity and Accessibility.

Elena has been involved in planning meetings and collaborating with colleagues to create an environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all attendees, presenters and organisers. In particular, attention has been given to ensuring the conference venue is fully accessible, including wheelchair access, lifts, accessible restrooms, power-assisted doors and clear routes throughout the event venue.

Elena will attend the conference later this month to provide support and to address and resolve any accessibility requirements or issues that participants may encounter. Beyond supporting the conference in this capacity, Elena will be aiming to establish new connections within the rapidly growing field of telepresence robotics. As an area that complements ongoing research within the Fellowship, the conference will provide a platform to engage with international experts, explore emerging research directions and identify opportunities for future collaboration.