 |
||
|
Participants By Last Name
|
||
|
Lindsay Hardison Michael Harland Robert Harrington Kimberly Herrmann Heidi Hester Peter Hill Stephen Hutcheson |
Timothy Koeth Alan Kyker Clayton Lapointe Michael Lennek Richard Lombardini Lisa Lowe Andrew Ludlow |
Nicholas Marko Adam Martin Deseree Meyer Stephen Muchovej Walter Ogburn Nnenna Onumah |
| Lindsay Hardison (University of Florida) | ||
|
Meeting in Washington
the day before we all left for Munich was a nice way to get to know one
another a little so we could have familiar faces once we did get to
Germany. The Nobel Laureates are extremely intellectual and insightful
people but sometimes they are made out to be super human.
I think the best part of the whole thing is meeting students from not only the States but from all over the world. A lot of these individuals will not only be colleagues but friends. This was a trip I would not trade for the world.
|
||
| Michael Harland (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee) | ||
|
The advice given on
speaking with the laureates was good. The packet containing the short bios
and profiles of the students and laureates was a very good briefing. The
orientation was useful and valuable in that one was able to see our group
as a whole, so we could recognize each other in the future, and it
provided an environment for us to meet each other exclusively, building
some unity before going to Germany as representatives of the U.S.
Klitzig's talk on "Spin Transport Phenomena in Quantum Structures" was most valuable to me, as is pertains directly to my research in spin polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy of quantum structures. I was able to hold a short discussion with Dr. Richardson on atomic force microscopy, but I found it difficult to go into much detail with him, as there were many other students waiting to ask questions. I made some great new friends in Lindau. I will keep in touch with them for many years to come. One of them is some one with whom I may collaborate in future research. Dinner with the Laureates was definitely a memorable experience. As far as the international students go, I found the Germans and the students from the U.K. to be the most socially proactive and open to new friendships and/or professional relationships.
|
||
| Robert Harrington (Northeastern University) | ||
|
I find myself in an
ocean of people that approach physics in a way that I find to be strange
and sometimes just wrong. Hearing for the first time in my young career
from almost every one of the Nobel Laureates attitudes and approaches
similar to my own gives me the confidence to stand up for what I believe
in. I was beginning to think that perhaps I was just wrong myself and had
much to learn about doing physics in the "correct" manner. But now I
realize that, even if I am wrong, I owe it to myself to see it through to
the end. And to convince myself that I was either right or wrong.
The greatest benefit was in meeting with my fellow students from around the United States in many different fields. Talking to the other students helped me to understand how other peoples' approaches to science differ from my own. I made many friends that I hope to see again during the course of my career. I have never been in such an amazing group of people. I liked every single person that I met, and this has given me what I hope is a lifetime of inspiration to study physics. Doing it for myself isn't sufficient motivation to keep up the struggle. But doing it as part of this larger group of scientists is something worthwhile that will keep me going. Thanks to everyone that contributed to this amazing experience. I hope you are able to continue this for many more generations to come, because it can only help our global science community. This was a rewarding experience. Being able to meet with not only the Nobel Laureates but also the young scientists of America and the world has given me the insight to realize who I am and the confidence to be that person.
|
||
| Kimberly Herrmann (Penn State University) | ||
|
Meeting in Washington
and traveling as a group to Europe was extremely important. The bonding of
the group definitely started in Washington and during the flights. The
DOE, NSF, and ORAU presentations were interesting and it was important to
hear about the organizations that were making the trip possible.
I liked Dr. Giacconi's idea that the worst possible thing for a scientist to do is to work towards getting a Nobel Prize. I will not forget Penzias’ advice: "Don't be suicidal, but think differently." I liked Veltman's assertion that Nature is much smarter than we are. I was also very surprised at his explanation of the contrast between science in Europe and in the United States and his advice that every scientist should spend at least 2 years in the United States at some time. I met so many amazing people at this meeting! Surely the Laureates were amazing, but so were the other American students and the international students! At times I really felt that our group was acting like a family and it was very hard to believe that we had known each other for such a short time. I am going to keep in touch with many new friends from this trip- whether they like it or not! I strongly suspect that some of the students who were sitting in the audience will one day be up on that stage! The international travel experience was wonderful beyond words- partly due to the company and partly due to the experience of completely different surroundings. I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend the meeting itself. I will never forget having dinner with Dr. Giaever at the Goldennes Lamm. He had wonderful stories and we laughed and laughed! Our trip to Lindau was a magical experience. A large part of the magic came from the feeling that we left our differences behind us, but still managed to explore our differences. Dr. Giaever said something about science being everything- not separated into little pockets. I think that sentiment also applies to the international character of the meeting. We were all fellow scientists- not separated by countries.
|
||
| Heidi Hester (Tulane University) | ||
|
The information on the
specific funding agencies who sponsored us was informative. I would add a
little time in between each talk if possible, other than that it was just
long. The travel as a group was extremely helpful. Those initial meetings
were where I met the most people from our group. I definitely got out of
the interactions (with the Laureates), that I need to read more about my
research and other areas as well. It definitely motivated me to do more
literature research when I return and really focus on the reading part of
my research as well as the experimentation.
The experience abroad can be barely put into words. Most of the Nobel laureates I came in contact with were very happy to talk about things other than science and even more so about politics of the US. All around it was an extremely positive experience. The people organizing the trip did a phenomenal job. The dinners and lunches and get togethers definitely served their purpose of connecting us with each other as well as international students and the laureates. I had some wonderful talks with Judy Sunley and John McClure as well as the nobel laureates. If I could, I would definitely do it again.
|
||
| Peter Hill (University of New Mexico) | ||
|
Meeting and traveling
as a group is the only way to go. I learned two important things over
the course of the trip. The first is that a Prize-worthy discovery may
come when you don't expect it, or don't know it is there. The political or
cultural environment may be such that it is not appreciated until years
later. If it’s original, patent it no matter what.
Along with all the wonderful American students I met, I really enjoyed talking to many German students. They were all very bright and extremely pleasant people to spend time with and to talk to. This was an absolutely fantastic experience. The organizers of the trip have my deepest appreciation. I'm glad that an even more diverse group of international students were able to attend this year. 10 out of 10.
|
||
| Stephen Hutcheson (Texas Technological University) | ||
|
The presentations given by the representatives of DOE, ORAU and the NSF were insightful into what those organizations were involved. Meeting in Washington was a very good thing. I have never been to Washington so I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity. I think meeting the Laureates was extremely enjoyable and an opportunity of a lifetime. I enjoyed hearing their opinions on some of the latest scientific theories. I also enjoyed hearing what some of them have been involved with post-Nobel Prize. I think the future benefit I gained that anything is possible no matter what your background is or was.
The dinner we hosted was also very enjoyable, it was a great opportunity for me to meet young scientists from Germany, Austria, Japan and India. I hope to keep in contact with them via email in the future.
|
||
| Timothy Koeth (Rutgers University) | ||
|
I think having a
survey presentation of current "big problems" in the field - this year
Michael Turner’s presentation on physics problems - was helpful for
scientists not specializing in physics, it inspired some interesting
conversations. Friendships were forged quickly and this enabled us to
concentrate on meeting foreign students once at Lindau.
I really really enjoyed Prof. Penzias' discussions. For the first time in my life I really gave the CMB serious thought, and appreciated the great importance it provides the Astrophysics community and what scientific riches still hide in it. I have made a nice collection of American and international friends. I have always been impressed during international travel, and this trip continued to amaze me of the deep respect that most foreigners have for the United States. All of those I met on this trip expressed there desire to do research in the US. It makes me proud to be an American. In summary, the meeting was fantastic. It was encouraging to be among peers with such a passion for scientific research and investigation. Inspiring is the best way to describe the experience of being surrounded with Nobel Prize winning Physicists.
|
||
| Alan Kyker (University of California, Davis) | ||
|
I really liked traveling as a group. This gave me a chance to get to know the other students as well as not getting lost.
Prof. Panzias demonstrated that it does not hurt to be born several cuts above normal however. Prof. Koshiba's talk made me want to go out and build a neutrino telescope in my back yard. I traded a number of email addresses with students. I was surprised that some knew my adviser (Dr. Pickett). It is hard to say if anything will come from these contacts, but I plan to keep in touch.
|
||
| Clayton Lapointe (Johns Hopkins University) | ||
|
The most helpful topics: the German ambassador's suggestions, the talk by Michael Turner on important problems to be solved in physics. I'm not entirely certain of how meeting with a Nobel Laureate affected my career in any way outside of a personal inspiration due to particular interaction with a great scientist.
I made a number of friends on this trip. This, to me, was the most important aspect of the trip. I can honestly say the trip to Lindau, Germany was the best trip I've ever had overseas. I've traveled to Europe many times either for vacation or scientific conferences, but this one takes the cake. I have to thank the organizers because with their efforts they made this trip as rewarding as it could possibly be.
|
||
| Michael Lennek (University of Arizona) | ||
|
The bits about Germany were very helpful. I would try to shorten the bits about DOE, NSF, and ORAU though it was enlightening to find out what each organization actually did. The main value of the orientation seemed to be meeting everyone else we'd be traveling with.
I made some new friends and gained some experience traveling in Europe. Lindau was a beautiful city and it was interesting hearing Nobel Laureates views on a variety of issues. I would recommend this to anyone who has a chance to go.
|
||
| Richard Lombardini (Texas Technological University) | ||
|
Michael Turner's
dynamic talk on the latest fashion in cosmology theory fueled my
motivation to seek out where the Laureates stood on these issues. Not
only was the orientation beneficial towards the preparation for the trip
but it also provided a great introduction of the DOE and NSF which would
be helpful in my future career if ever I needed to apply for grants. It
allowed for me to meet the other students in the program and to form bonds
early in the trip which may in the future develop into scientific collaborations.
The greatest insight that I gained was that these untouchable superheroes in the science community are very human. They make mistakes, share contradictory political views, and even have interests outside of the realm of science. I am truly grateful for my newly developed view on these influential people in science. The interesting talks and discussions reminded me of why I chose science as a lifelong undertaking. In general, the Laureates were very honorable in giving up their time and efforts to educate and inspire the future generation of scientists. The interaction with international student peers was helpful in emphasizing the fact that the scientific community is spread out all over the world. Although, there were cultural differences, I felt like I had a lot in common with those from other countries due to being a part of the same scientific community.
|
||
| Lisa Lowe (North Carolina State University) | ||
|
I also felt Michael
Turner's talk was excellent and a great way to prepare for listening to
the Nobel talks with intent of answering or thinking about current
questions in physics. I thought the content of the meeting was appropriate
and can think of no changes. Meeting each other dressed nicely left good
first impressions, and we would not have become bonded as a group if we
had not had the initial gathering to meet each other all at once. I felt
that our whole group had a feeling of closeness that would not have been
achieved had we not met together that first day, and met on familiar
grounds (in the US).
One of the most wonderful things about this meeting for me was to meet and bond with other female physicists. This was an entirely new experience for me, and it gave me a greater feeling of being in a physics community than I could have constantly being one of a few females around. I didn't meet many students in my area of physics, but it was more helpful to me to meet people doing different physics because I tend to be narrowly focused on my research and ignore all other fields. Meeting someone who does a particular research field makes that field more interesting to me. The most memorable part of the trip was simply the feeling of being a part of a closely knit international community of physicists. The feeling was certainly a great incentive to stay in physics research rather than defecting to industry, and I think the defect of physicists to the higher paying jobs of the private sector is seriously hurting the progress of science. I think if more people experienced this sort of gathering, there would be more excitement and incentive to stay in physics for the purpose of gaining knowledge rather than working for pure profit. The Lindau meeting – meeting the Laureates and international student community- has been the most inspiring and memorable event in my scientific career. I have returned home to my research with renewed energy and determination as a result of my experiences at the meeting.
|
||
| Andrew Ludlow (University of Colorado) | ||
|
It was useful to become more familiar with the organization and role of the research divisions of DOE, NSF and ORAU. The booklet given to us at the orientation with Laureate mini-biographies and other American student information was quite useful throughout the week. I think it was extremely helpful to meet in Washington and travel as a group to Europe. First, it gave us a chance to get to know other students and establish friendships for the upcoming activities of the week. And second, it made the international traveling less stressful knowing we were in a big group and we would get to Germany together.
The lectures that were most valuable to me were not those of a certain field, but rather those presented in an interesting fashion accessible to most of the audience. One insight I gained was a more developed perspective into the relationship between "applied" and "basic" sciences, which was a recurring topic among the Laureates, who had a wide variety of opinions on the subject. This trip was a wonderful opportunity to interact with the Nobel Laureates and see a beautiful part of Germany. The Nobel lectures and informal discussions were typically both interesting and instructive. Lunch and dinner with the Laureates was a wonderful opportunity to see the Laureates in an informal setting and be able to discuss just about anything with them. The trip as a whole went quite smoothly, thanks to the hard work and thorough planning by the ORAU/DOE/NSF representatives (for example, Roland, Linda, Sam, Wayne, Judy, etc.). I will certainly remember this experience for a long time forward.
|
||
| Nicholas Marko (The Institute for Genomic Research) | ||
|
The meeting was
interesting - good to hear about the functions of the different
organizations involved, etc. Even as a non-physicist, it was
interesting to hear the perspectives of some accomplished scientists about
the field in general. In particular, it was interesting to hear their
thoughts about education, about mixing scientific investigation with their
lives, etc. Always interesting to see practical applications and work
that people do outside of the traditional lab settings.
|
||
| Adam Martin (Boston University) | ||
|
It was interesting to see the DOE and NSF mission statements and gain an insight into how the funding agencies think. I definitely thought meeting in Washington and traveling as a group was a good idea. This way people were able to meet and get to know one another at least a little before the trip over. I will get the most benefit from the advice I received on how to be a good scientist (rather than a successful scientist). It is hard to really put a value on that.
I was more concerned with meeting the people and exploring the unique experience than with forming new collaborations. The private dinners with the Laureates were one of my favorite parts of the trip. As I said before, my experience in Germany exceeded all my expectations. I had a great time and would recommend the trip to anyone.
|
||
| Deseree Meyer (Yale University) | ||
|
Meeting in Washington,
D.C., was a good experience since we got to meet each other and travel as
a group. This meeting helped me because successful scientists who are
very well-respected in their fields talked about the value of curiosity
and creativity, two important traits for scientists that should be
encouraged in grad school.
The entire trip was quite an opportunity -- exploring new ideas, other educational systems, and different cultures. I enjoyed talking to other students at a similar point in their degrees. Such a valuable experience!
|
||
| Stephen Muchovej (Columbia University) | ||
|
Mike Turner's talk was
one of the best ones of the whole week. Traveling as a group was
important, in my opinion, as it allowed people to start making connections
with their peers. I don't know how I would have made those connections
otherwise.
The lunch with Veltman was awesome. Perhaps the most important things I gained from this meeting were my new friendships, both with Americans and international students. The international friendships will lead me to collaborations (professional or otherwise) with students from Edinburgh and Austria. The American ones will no doubt lead me to the Midwest, the South, and my own backyard. The trip would not have been as fun and successful were it not for these new friendships. It was all memorable. The meeting provided a forum to meet like-minded students who are pursuing goals in the sciences as well as to see the inner workings of Nobel Laureate's minds. Some of the friendships made will definitely be cherished and nurtured. I'm looking forward to the next time I get to see some of people I met. Thanks for the trip!!
|
||
| Walter Ogburn (Stanford University) | ||
|
The information about
the Lindau meeting itself was most helpful to me. The sessions in
Washington about the DOE, NSF and ORAU were also interesting, and it was
good to have some contact with our sponsors before leaving. What I
gained is mainly a matter of inspiration. My own current research is in a
search for new physics (WIMP dark matter), where a negative result is
always expected; most of the laureates were surprised by what they found,
and some of them (like Penzias) had been trying to do something entirely
different. It's good to be reminded that there are a lot of surprises
still waiting for us.
Meeting the other students was great, especially the meals planned with groups from other countries. Meeting the Nobel Laureates at meals was also quite a privilege. I was grateful that so many of these meals with Laureates and students were planned for the U.S. group. Overall it was a really good experience.
|
||
| Nnenna Onumah (Hampton University) | ||
|
The orientation
session was very helpful. It shed more light on topics that would not be
good conversation pieces but ones to think about in one’s everyday
activities. My experience with the Nobel Laureates was very positive.
Interacting with the Nobel Laureates gave more insight on possibilities in
the sciences that can be explored.
I believe one to most important thing I gained from the meeting was being able to meet and interact with students, not just American but International that I will be working along side with whether directly or indirectly in different areas. As I met each one, I could not help to wonder if he/she was the next Nobel Laureate and what an honor it was to meet them at the beginning of their careers. My experience was very rewarding. Interacting with the Nobel Laureates and my student peers reinforced my notion that the Nobel Prize, all things being equal, is in grasp of everyone's palm. He who seeks shall obtain.
|
||
| back to Lindau 2004 Home | ||
|
DOE Office of
Science | National Science Foundation |
ORISE
Educational Opportunities Questions
and comments on this site? Send an e-mail |
||
Dr. Walter Kohn
presentation on Van der Waals Interactions was the most beneficial
discussion to me being a chemist that studies energy transfer in
macromolecules. Van der Waals interactions are the building blocks for
theories and models we use and are developing. I am glad that when (in
most cases) a Laureate didn't know an answer, he would admit it and not
try to make up something.
Of
all the laureates with which I had a chance to converse, I found them to
have very well rounded personalities: talkative, humorous, and only
serious when necessary. I am very much like that, so I sort of received a
boost in confidence that I will be a successful scientist with significant
contributions to my field of research. 
The
dinners with the Laureates were great. I sat with Prof. Josephson first,
Prof. Penzias for the reception, and Lady Helena for the third meeting. I
realized from these informal meetings that they really are normal people
just like the rest of us. Each one was a truly unique individual, though,
and even normal people can be quite extraordinary when they allow
themselves to be exactly who they are. 
I think
the little comments and slivers of advice from the Nobel Laureates that I
will always take with me are one thing that will help my scientific
career. Dr. Kroemer's assertion that hot topics are not everything was
reassuring. Hearing about the struggles and successes of the Nobel
Laureates was also comforting. The realization that the Nobel Laureates
come back year after year to talk with students like us and the fact that
they feel that this is an important thing for them to do was a powerful
experience.
As
far as the future for my scientific career, it showed me that I do have a
chance to be successful. The laureates really conveyed that in order to do
something great, a lot of ideas have to be generated, but those ideas will
come in time. Richardson's lecture actually gave some practical advice,
which I found useful to my career in the future. I gained a possible
collaboration with another American group from UF. I also exchanged
e-mails with a German girl wanting to learn more about how to apply to
graduate school in the U.S. The number of new friends that I made are
quite a few. Nearly everyone from the US delegation was very friendly and
many I will keep in contact with.
The second thing is to
appreciate cross-disciplinary interaction. The best way, and sometimes the
only way, to see a solution to a problem is from a completely different
standpoint. Such a perspective may not be obvious to someone or their
colleagues, yet quite apparent to a third party in a different field.
I
enjoyed listening to Prof. Veltman and his opinions about string theory,
dark matter and dark energy. I believe I have made some friends for life
well outside of my discipline. I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know my
fellow students and also see what other research is taking place all over
the physics community. I enjoyed getting to know so many physicists. I
enjoyed being able to speak with Prof. Penzias about astrophysics and my
research at the social get-together for all international students and the
Nobel Laureates. 
I
imagine that the primary benefit will come in the inspiration that I
gained from meeting the Laureates. It wasn't a profound scientific
insight, or the secret map to the path of Nobel Prize, but the inspiration
was in the fact that all these individuals followed their heart into a
their field of research, they were not discouraged by "failure," and they
lived a normal INQUISITIVE human life. 
Many of the
Nobel Laureates seemed like normal people who had done extraordinary
things. I found this encouraging since it implies that one need not be
born at the edge of knowledge, but one can get there through hard work.
I'd say
the most poignant experience of the trip was getting to know Nobel
Laureates as human beings and not seeing them as larger than life idols or
gods. I attended all of the discussion sessions. I found the
discussion with Dr. Muller the most valuable. The students there were very
interested on what he had to say on current research on high-Tc materials
and asked not only relevant scientific questions but difficult ones. Dr.
Muller was one of the few Laureates who gave me the sense that he was
still struggling with understanding the phenomena. I heard him say on
about 3-4 occasions that he simply couldn't answer the question. He didn't
know. That was very inspiring. 
This trip
certainly brought me in contact with many very successful scientists. I
think it also helped to confirm my belief that science really is a group
effort in that many of the Laureates talked about how it was someone else
that brought them either the problem or the solution which won them the
prize.
First
of all, a wide range of topics were presented in the meeting by the best
and the brightest of those fields. I now have a basic knowledge of which
problems the scientific community deem most important in areas of physics
that I am not involved in and unfamiliar with. I am more aware of research
outside of my field and more equipped for opportunities in
interdisciplinary research. The Nobel Laureates were also very generous in
providing sound advice and wisdom. For example, I remember Walter Kohn
mentioning the importance of being able to describe a new concept with
multiple independent explanations. This not only confirms the validity of
the concept but also helps the scientific community to readily accept the
new idea. The one discussion that left a lasting impression was led by
Osheroff. He was not afraid to share the more personal side of how winning
the Nobel Prize affected his life and the lives of his family members. 
Meeting the Laureates brought Nobel Prize winners
down to Earth so they are now just scientists whose work ended up being
significant. I think this is better inspiration for physicists to work
hard in their field rather than having an impression that you have to be
some kind of larger than life figure to achieve results worthy of the
Prize. Veltman's discussion had the most value for me – he was
very honest and upfront about what was known and unknown, and which
questions were merely philosophy. 
Seeing the
Laureates' wide variety of personalities, places of employment, and
approaches to research emphasized to me that great accomplishments can be
made in almost any setting. The underlying important ingredient for
success is that you love what you do. I will certainly keep this in mind
as I make important career choices in my future research. 
Meeting so
many students from such diverse backgrounds, especially the Americans (who
we got to know the best, obviously), opens new doors for future
collaborative efforts, etc. Although I may not have made specific plans
(either professional or social) right now, I now have a wealth of avenues
available when the need arises. All around an excellent trip. Fascinating people - both the Laureates and the students. 
I also liked the continued theme of fundamental vs. applied science and
was surprised by the varied responses the Laureates gave. I think there
should be more time devoted to themes that everyone has an opinion on
instead of focusing on more specific topics. My experience in Germany exceeded all my
expectations. I formed new friendships with people from all over the
country and had experiences that I will never forget.
Surprisingly
the talk on negative indices of refraction was the one that got me
thinking the most. I thought of ways to apply this method to my current
field, and have done some follow-up on it since I've returned. I attended
most of the afternoon sessions, paying most attention to Ricardo
Giacconi's session. I gained some insight into the minds of other students
just by listening to their questions. It was good to hear someone who
works in my field, and it was also good to get in a discussion with him. I
stood my ground, though, and ended the discussion with a job offer. That
was nice. 
I really enjoyed Professor Koshiba's
discussion, especially the issues of how he had dealt with competition
from other experiments, changing a proton decay experiment into a neutrino
detector. The chance to meet international students was terrific. The
German students were especially gracious in their capacity as hosts to the
rest of us. For meeting with the Laureates, the dinners and lunches were
by far the best chance for interaction. These were really appreciated. 
One lecture I found most intriguing
was that of "How to start a high tech business." I feel this lecture
allowed students see that science can also be made into a business and the
belief that to be a physicist one must be poor was struck down.