Three days of Meetings with Laureates have been completed, and the consensus among the U.S. delegation is that this has already been immensely successful and worthwhile. One of the members of our group said, "The fact that we can sit down face-to-face with laureates—not only scientists that we admire, but what the whole world of science respects—it's an amazing opportunity.” This sentiment seemed to be shared by the entire group.

Jeff Richmond (ORISE) is in the meeting's press room, busy writing articles and sending photos back to the States for this Web site. Thanks Jeff for keeping us informed!

To add to the accessibility of the Laureates to the U.S. group, DOE and ORAU funded a second event—Lunch with the Laureates—at the Stifts Hotel Restaurant in the Bier Garten. With Countess Bernadotte, Dr. Feinendegen, five laureates, Lady Helena Eccles, as well as senior DOE and NIST staff in attendance, almost everyone in the group had the opportunity to enhance their Lindau experience.

The Lunch with the Laureates might have been subtitled "Science for Lunch." Having heard technical discussions on several topics during the presentations and afternoon discussion, some of the students were more interested in the life of being a research scientist.

Those sitting with Lady Eccles, for example, expected to hear about her life with her late husband, a Nobel Prize Winner. However, Lady Eccles, a prominent and respected physician and researcher in her own right, was more interested in exploring scientific topics with the group at her table.

Each Nobel Laureate participating in these meetings has a passion for his/her field of science and an interest in sharing that passion and promoting further investigation into these fields.

Several laureates, including Phillips, Laughlin, Osheroff, and Esaki received extended ovations following their presentations. And, each of these individuals drew crowds of students following their presentations or at their individual tables during the afternoon discussions.

Esaki, among others, shared his thoughts on how to be successful as a researcher. He indicated that he believed many of the advances in science—new theories and understandings into yet unsolved mysteries of science—would be made by younger researchers who were still open minded and curious—not afraid to think creatively. He suggested that some more experienced researchers have become focused on one approach to problem solving and may overlook equally valid new approaches that would lead to even more insights.