Nobel Laureate Meeting – Spotlight blog Part Two

In the second of two features, Paul Cannon, Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholar shares his experience of attending the 73rd Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany this summer. This year the meeting focused on the discipline of Physics. Paul is based in Dublin City University. The Irish Research Council open the Lindau Call annually for Irish nominations. Further information can be found on our funding page. 

If you missed the first feature blog, you can read it here.

What Nobel Laureates did you meet during your time at Lindau and what was the experience like?

I have met many and the experience differed greatly in many ways. The most reliable way to meet the Laureates is through the daily open exchanges.

I first met Stefan Hell, the 2014 chemistry laureate who broke the diffraction limit with super resolution stimulated depletion (STED) microscopy, sharing the prize with Eric Betzig. He discussed his journey in academia and how his proposal for STED was rejected many times, with reviewers telling him it just would not work, and he underscored the importance of perseverance. His son was in the audience, and after the group discussion, before talking to Stefan, I struck up a conversation with his son to find out what it is like to have a father win a Nobel prize, and if Physics also ran in his blood. It was fascinating to hear his son’s perspective.

Next was Richard Henderson, inventor of cryo-electron microscopy (EM), of which I have immense interest and fascination. The conversation with Richard was especially enlightening to the benefit of conferences and collaboration. He mentioned that during his early days of research, he was attempting x-ray crystallography of a specific protein to image its structure but was having no luck. He went to a conference, and another early-stage researcher was doing electron diffraction of a specific membrane biomolecule and was also having no luck. They talked to one another, and eventually decided to collaborate. They analysed the two techniques they were both using, and ultimately came up with cryo-EM together, highlighting the importance of international conferences and collaboration, a key motivator of my attendance at this meeting.

Lastly, I met David Wineland, who discovered how to manipulate and measure single atoms, where he discussed the importance of doing what you love both inside and outside the lab. This was a very relaxed and informal discussion, very representative of Prof. Wineland himself.

Outside of the open exchanges, impromptu interactions during coffee, lunch and dinner breaks are a staple of the Lindau meetings. At the Texas themed dinner, I found myself seated across from Donna Strickland and beside her husband. Rather than pondering the questions of what’s next in physics, we were trying to figure out if the white dip in front of us was hummus or something else. We spent the evening joking and Donna shared stories of her days as a graduate student and postdoc. She has been to Cork before, but I advertised my family B&B to her in Donegal and offered reduced rates for Nobel Laureates.

What was your experience of meeting with fellow early-career researchers?

I met so many throughout the week and was constantly reminded that this meeting is as much about meeting the Laureates as it is about meeting fellow young scientists. I flew into Munich, and whilst in the queue for the bus to Lindau, someone asked me if I was going to the Nobel Laureate Meeting too. I said I was, and a fantastic conversation followed. They were doing their Ph.D. in Saudi Arabia, studying materials science and working with 2D nanostructures similar to myself. I shared my recent publication with them, which was highly relevant to their own work. That was before the meeting even began!

In our Lindau Meeting welcome package, we each received a stack of business cards containing our personal details, affiliations, and contact details, so that we could all stay in touch after the meeting. The meeting offers an abundance of opportunities to meet young scientists and laureates alike, through lounge areas, a barista-manned coffee bar that we frequented far too often, and refreshment/food stations. I met many great friends from every corner of the world, studying across the entire spectrum of fundamental and interdisciplinary physics, from nanoparticles for drug delivery to theoretical particle physics. We discussed everything from physics, science in general, and hobbies and interests, but it was also a great networking opportunity. I discovered much about research institutes doing work I am highly interested in that I never would’ve otherwise, and it has opened up many avenues for future collaboration.

Can you sum up your experience at Lindau and why do you think it is important?

Participating in the Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting was an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget. The meeting is incredibly important as it bridges generations of scientists from across the world. The welcoming and picturesque island of Lindau, alongside the meticulous organisation and outstanding venue create the perfect environment to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas. It inspires young researchers and promotes international collaboration, and it has profoundly impacted my aspirations and approach to research.