I found the orientation presentation by Ray Orbach on the different DOE programs and the future of chemistry to be both very interesting and informative.  I hadn't thought about working in some of those areas, but now I will keep them in mind as possible research projects.  I also thought the information presented by Roland Hirsch on the background of the Nobel Prize and the Lindau meeting and by Hanz-Dieter Lucas on facts about Germany were useful to know.  Overall, I thought the topics discussed in the orientation were a good overview of the programs involved in making the Lindau experience possible.

Meeting in Washington and travelling together as a group was extremely important.  We had the chance to get to know the other students in the American delegation and to mingle with all of them before we got to Germany and had hundreds of other students to meet.

I was exposed to a number of areas of chemistry that I may consider for future research projects.  In addition, I saw how different all of the Laureates were, in particular their different approaches to science and politics.  One experience I remember was the Goldenes Lamm dinner with Paul Boyer.  He was very interested in meeting the students at his table and getting to know them.  I was very impressed that he remembered details about us and was able to introduce us to other people.

I think one of the most important things I gained from the meeting was the opportunity to meet students from across the United States and around the world.  It was especially interesting to talk with some of the students from Europe and compare education systems or hear about their perspectives on the United States.  I think the meeting was very important in promoting world understanding.

This experience was extremely valuable for me.  It was very eye-opening to hear science discussed in such a political way by some of the Laureates, as well as gain an international perspective on how the United States relates to the rest of the world.  I was introduced to some of the scientific areas that a number of people think will be important in the next 50 or 100 years, which gave me some ideas for future research projects.  Above all, I highly value the relationships that started with my peers from the United States and around the world.  

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This conference was a wonderful experience. It provided an invaluable opportunity to hear and meet great scientists both Laureate and student. 

The Laureates provided insights into scientific discovery as well as stimulated new research ideas. But I believe the advice they gave on career and life will prove the most useful. The role of a scientist is changing in society and the insight into the changes that these experienced researchers gave us I am sure will prove invaluable.    

I attended all lectures. The lectures opened my mind to new areas of science, inspired new research ideas, and forced me to think as to the role of a scientist in today's society. Dr. Jean-Marie Lehn's talk on the synthesis of functionalized supramolecular systems to form grids for use in microelectronics provided valuable insight into a research area of particular interest. As did Dr. Harry Kroto's talk on the the scientist as an educator. Dr. Kroto provided examples on how a scientist today can and must help educate the public on our research.  

I sat in shortly on all the discussions. Dr. Crutzen's discussion taught me much about atmospheric chemistry, a topic which I have not had the opportunity to explore. Though I knew that pollution was a global problem, he provided scientific evidence on how the actions of one region can effect us all. Dr. Kroto's discussions focused more on the role of a scientist in today's society. He was into science education, science and family, and science and politics.

The contacts made with American and international students will prove useful in my future career. As a graduate student, I rarely have the opportunity to meet students outside of my area of research. This conference provided the opportunity to meet students with a wide variety of research interests which allowed me to step outside my small research circle and explore other areas.

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One of the most important things I learned about the Nobel Laureates is that they are just people, brilliant people, but people with opinions, families, career choices, etc. The students that attend these meetings are probably at the same position the Laureates were years ago. Another thing I learned is that is so important to set goals for yourself and your research but at the same time to let science take its course. You never know what you may discover along other paths you may not have chosen otherwise. The emphasis on taking an active role in research and collaborations is very important in the future for my career, no matter what employment I choose down the road.

I attended all lectures. Probably the most valuable lecture was that of Prof. Kroto. The first reason is that his research was the closest topic of my own research. I was honored to actually meet the man who opened up this field in such a way. Second of all, Prof. Kroto is a very vibrant presenter that has a great ability to capture and hold the attention of an audience. His lecture was a kaleidoscope of opinions, science, politics, and anything else he could get to make us think. I may not have agreed with everything Prof. Kroto said, but he did make me think and open my mind to new ideas. Most importantly, it is crucial for us to begin analyzing and thinking about who is in charge of the future of science. Maybe what I see myself doing in the future has a lot to do with what he presented in his lecture. The students at this meeting are the ones who will be making decisions years from now about what will be occurring in research and political matter! We need leaders with open minds and sometimes willing to risk and put trust in science, whatever direction it may lead to. This also occurred at the discussion sessions and was further elaborated on in many of the discussions there as well. 

The new friendships I made with the American students traveling in our group, are lifetime friendships and, perhaps, collaborations. It was comforting in a way to realize that we are not alone in this great big world of graduate students! Two fellow students are coming out to visit me at Los Alamos. I hope I instilled in them a positive outlook about where I work and for them to consider this as a future place for a postdoc or employment. I think a lot of students do not realize what other places are like, whether DOE labs, universities or international exchanges. It is nice to hear about such places from fellow students. You get the "real deal" hearing it and experiencing it from them. So my experience with international students was very similar as with the American students: collaboration, friendships, and tons of fun together! I am sure many collaboration and ideas for new research will stem from this wonderful experience. 

The value of the international travel experience was life changing for me. It was my first trip overseas and I will never forget it. I am ready to go back as soon as I can! There's a certain fear about the unknown and although I consider myself adventurous, I had not yet worked up the courage or finances to do it on my own. Lindau was an absolutely beautiful place. The trip to Mainau was a fantastic place to end the conference and the Countess was very pleasant and an excellent hostess. I look forward to my next trip to Lindau in the future. It deserves at least one more look! 

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Dr. Hirsch's comments on the structure of the Noble Prize system were most helpful, but Dr. Lucas's comments on some of the social differences between Germany and the United States were also very helpful. The other presentations may not have been as helpful for the trip itself, but they provided a great deal of information on what types of research the different organizations conduct and will conduct in the future.

If I were to change anything about the orientation session, I would suggest more information on the meetings themselves, and possibly a presentation from a "field scientist" within one of the organizations to give the students a better "feel" of the research environment.

Meeting in Washington and traveling to Europe as a group was very helpful. Doing so gave us the chance to get to know one another before the meetings started and made international travel a little less intimidating.

I was a physicist attending a meeting focusing on chemistry. However, it was still in invaluable experience. Many of the Nobel Laureates had been in research for 40, 50, or more years, yet they were still involved in and very excited about scientific research. Even more impressive was that many mentioned where science has "failed us" and how science needs to be conducted differently and continue to expand. In short, I was very inspired to continue scientific research, expand my horizons, and further scientific education. 

I attended all the lectures. From Dr. Zewail I learned that femtosecond lasers can be very useful, rather than being a great accomplishment in themselves. I also enjoyed Dr. Boyer's comments in his lecture and during the roundtable that science can help to save our environment and much more research needs to be conducted on alternative fuel sources (particularly the handling of nuclear wastes). 

I attended parts of several discussions, but most notably those of: Dr. Mossbauer, Sir Kroto, Dr. Boyer, and Dr. Arber. I enjoyed Dr. Mossbauer's discussion because it had to do with physics.  In particular, I learned several aspects about neutrinos I was previously unaware of (i.e., neutrinos definitely have mass). It was also informative to find out the funding practices of various countries. Sir Kroto's views of science in general were fascinating (even though I didn't always agree with them). I was amazed at how many things in science he thinks need to be changed. Dr. Boyer's passion for genetically engineered agriculture was very impressive, and I learned several new facts. Also, I liked Dr. Boyer's views on energy use, particularly the lack of research, in recent years, in the area of nuclear energy. Dr. Arber's discussion focused on topics that I have always found fascinating but have never really researched or studied. These topics included evolution, genetic research, and the role of biology in the community. He seemed to be very excited about the research, but was also very cautious about the societal and moral implications of the work.  Personally, I think more scientists need to take this approach.

As a general comment, some of my fears about science were allayed during these discussions:
(a) Physics is still the root of all science (Mossbauer, Ernst, Kroto)
(b) Scientists are not becoming too specialized (Mossbauer, Kroto)
(c) It is still possible to completely change fields of study (Mossbauer, Kroto, Boyer, Karle)

I met many new friends, both American and international, during the trip. It was absolutely amazing to see students from so many different nationalities enjoying each other's company, regardless of their respective countries' differences. To me this signaled that science needs to take the lead in breaking down barriers between countries.

One of the most memorable experiences was watching the celebration after Germany lost the World Cup. Another very memorable event was eating dinner with someone who had worked on the Manhattan project (Dr. Isabella Karle). How many times does that happen in the present day?

Unfortunately, we were out of the country on the 4th of July. Yet, we had a memorable 4th of July dinner with the British delegation of students!

On a more political note, by some of the comments made and the subsequent audience reaction, I realized for the first time that the figure-head of our government (the President) is held responsible (whether good or bad) for political actions by our government. The president seems to be held responsible regardless of whether or not he is responsible for the action.

It is very difficult to write a summary of such an amazing trip. The chance to listen to and meet the Nobel Laureates was certainly enlightening. I was very enthused to find that they share many of my concerns about the present state and future  of science (i.e., the relationship between science and culture, ethics in science, and environmental concerns). Futhermore, it was inspiring to learn that several Nobel Laureates shared many of my anxieties when they were entering the field of science.

The international nature of the conference was also a very enlightening aspect. By talking to students from several different countries, I learned that there is more than one way to approach science, and that the American way is not always the best. Yet, I also found that there were many similarities between us, particularly in those subjects that we consider most important in science. 

The most important effect of the whole experience is that I have become reinspired about science. Like, I believe, many other young scientists, I from time to time question if I am in the right field. After this conference, I now have no doubt about what I want to pursue.

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It was really nice to have the orientation speakers from the different offices tell us what each office is about. I think most of us think we have two major options after our degrees: academics or industry. Those talks have gotten me thinking about the national labs as an alternative. Overall, it really did broaden my view for my future.

Many of the professors I have or have heard about demand a lot of time (60-80 hours a week) from their graduate students. It was beneficial to hear that many of the laureates know that there is life outside the lab. They may have a passion for chemistry, but they have a passion for other things in life as well. Also, that not all great research is planned. For example, Kroto just wanted to try something and discovered fullerenes. Granted it took time to lock in the structure, but it was an experiment that happened out of curiosity, not long term plans to manufacture a carbon sphere.

I attended all the Nobel lectures. My favorites were the ones that incorporated the story of how their Nobel prize-winning work evolved. I also liked the ones that talked about the history of chemistry. Sometimes we get so involved in our own research that we forget that there was a time when the principle we take for granted (i.e., Fourier Transform) didn't exist. Hearing the history gives me a greater appreciation for tasks I do daily, like NMR.

From people in our delegation and other countries, I learned a lot, including work expectations, graduate student life, professional opportunities, and research.

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Interacting with the Nobel Laureates showed me how a great discovery/insight may be made--how it might come from everyday lab experiences. Further, interacting with the Nobel Laureates challenged me to communicate my own scientific knowledge in a clear and intelligent way.

I attended discussions with Kroto, Karle, Olah, and Ernst. The discussions were very good in terms of getting to know the Nobel Laureates--you could find out how they came about their discovery/insight and their motivations. I also learned a lot scientifically in those discussions that were on topics not in my background--through students asking questions and Nobel Laureates answering them.

I gained new friendships, new opportunities, and new travel experiences. I had a lot of fun getting to know the other Americans on the trip, as well as students from the other delegations. I also enjoyed being able to share research experiences, especially in fields/projects that are closely related to mine.

It was a great experience on the whole--getting to know the Nobel Laureates scientifically as well as personally, getting to know other students pursuing scientific careers, and enjoying Germany. Thank you for the opportunity.

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The Laureates demonstrated that part of their success is the result of having a well-rounded knowledge of science, including areas outside their own specialty. Some spoke of the obligation they feel scientists have to share their work with the general public in terms that can be easily understood. They then lived up to this challenge by presenting their research with enthusiasm and often with lots of simplifying analogies. It was also nice to see that even Nobel Laureates can display a certain degree of humbleness with regard to their own accomplishments. Because these attitudes are displayed by scientists who have reached the highest level of achievement and recognition, it is a good indication that we young scientists would do well to emulate them.

I found Jerome Karle's lecture on the relationship between theory and practice to be insightful and entertaining. In discussing his contribution to the development of structure determination by electron and x-ray diffraction, I felt he presented the full story. First, he included some background to relate to the audience how he had come to focus on this problem, giving credit to the authors of the initial papers that caught his attention. He then spoke of how he worked on the mathematical theory to relate the diffraction patterns to the molecular structure, followed by his experiments in the area to test these models. He mentioned the difficulty fellow scientists had in believing his work and the struggle to have his theories accepted. In short, I found it to be an interesting story showing the full circle of progress that made up a Nobel Prize-winning career of research. It was a good demonstration of his own advice which was to come out later during a discussion session: find a problem you really enjoy working on, and have the determination to stick with it and get around the obstacles that will inevitably come up. I enjoyed especially hearing first-hand about the development of a tool that is now so essential in many areas of science: determination of the chemical structure.

During the three afternoons that the informal discussion sessions were held, I attended group discussions with Jean-Marie Lehn, Richard Ernst, Harold Kroto, George Olah, and Jerome Karle.

Harold Kroto's discussion section was memorable for his extroverted behavior and bold statements on controversial issues including the interface of science with religion and politics. I think that he enjoyed getting reactions out of his audience--whether one agreed with him or not he at least reminded students of important topics that deserve further thought and discussion. 

At Jerome Karle's discussion session, he was asked why he thought his wife wasn't jointly awarded the Nobel prize with him, the two having worked together for some time in the field of direct methods for solving crystal structures. He was thoughtful in his response and said that he had been very disappointed himself but that in the end it's likely his wife has won more total awards throughout her career than him and that she never once complained about it. He then advised us students to find something we really like and enjoy doing and to do it as well as we can. Perhaps someday others will reward you for it, he said, but if not you've still had a happy and fulfilling experience.

In terms of professional experience, I learned of a new freeware speciation modeling software program from another American student.

Some significant personal experiences were hearing stories from international students about what life was like in their respective countries. For instance, students from Russia studying abroad mentioned that they couldn't return home to visit due to the fear that their graduate studies would be disrupted by induction into a period of required military service. Also, an Israeli student I talked with described some of his daily routines and how he seldom goes out with his family due to the threat of violence. In learning about these students it made me appreciate some of the obstacles that exist in other parts of the world to getting an advanced science degree--things I often take for granted. 

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The conference was very enjoyable and full of a lot of different personalities. Some laureates emphasized that future research in chemistry should have a global outlook and seek solutions to the problems, particularly environmental, which adversely effect the world. Others suggested that the applicability of new discoveries is as important as their fundamental appreciation. Either way, all of the laureates seemed to agree that we should always work towards a more complete understanding of chemistry's place in bettering our society.

I especially enjoyed Ahmed Zewail’s talk. It was interesting to hear how his work began, progressed, and the directions he plans to take in the future. His message to do what you love was a powerful one.

Politics seemed to be the topic of interest during the informal discussions. The laureates had some interesting and often controversial ideas that they were not afraid to argue about. They offered insight into how great scientists view the present environmental policies of governments throughout the world.

International travel is something that everyone should make an effort to experience. It is an education unlike any other. In Germany, once you learn to order "wasser ohne gas" (water without gas) you're all set.

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The unique experience of actually sitting in the presence of several Nobel Laureates has inspired me to strive even harder in my chosen field of study. I attended all of the morning lectures. I enjoyed Dr. Boyer's lecture the most, because even though I'm not a chemist, I am interested in the research on the oxygen we breathe. I attended the informal discussions of Drs. Ernst, Kroto, Boyer, and Lamb. I value most the discussion by Prof. Lamb and his wife. They had such interesting stories to tell about their lives and careers.

I have many new friends as a result of the meeting. Already I have received e-mails from both my new international friends as well as my new American friends.

This was a once in a lifetime experience for me.  I will be forever grateful to my sponsors. 

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The major benefit of listening to the Nobel Laureates was being able to see that these people continue to make many contributions in their research areas aside from the work for which they were awarded the Nobel prize. There was a large diversity in their research, which illustrated to me that it is possible to make major contributions that do not necessarily take your entire research lifetime.

I attended all the lectures. The lecture that had the most value for me was the lecture by Jean-Marie Lehn on organic ligands that were used as templates for self-assembly molecules. This lecture had the most value for two reasons. First there was an interesting spin-crossover compound mentioned that was very applicable to my current research on valence tautomers. Second because Dr. Lehn was able to illustrate how these self-assembly complexes might possibly be used as bio-targets in the human system through the variation of pH levels. This is an interesting idea because it could make possible very highly cell specific drug delivery.

I attended the discussions by Dr. Lehn on Tuesday, Dr. Kroto and Dr. Huber on Wednesday, and Dr. Michel and Dr. Boyer on Thursday. In general I enjoyed these sessions immensely because the laureates’ conversations with the students were very interesting because the answers to the students’ questions were informal and off-the-cuff. The discussion with Dr. Lehn was valuable because I was able to ask multiple questions about the spin-crossover system that interested me. Dr. Kroto’s discussion was valuable because he elaborated on his views of the cutting edge of nano-technology, which seems to be a rapidly growing field because it is applicable to so many different areas and devices.

I formed many new friendships with both American and European students that I hope to continue because many of them work on research or with equipment that could be useful to my own research in the future. Also very valuable was the insight I was able to gain not only into the state of our future research scientists, but also how we compare in progress versus other countries. I talked to many German students who seemed to think that for their post-doctoral studies they would end up in the US because money and opportunities in chemical research are scarce there right now.

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Shelley Gilliss

The experience in Lindau was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I met wonderful people from both the States and around the world, many whom I hope to stay in contact with. My experience with the Laureates inspires me to continually challenge myself to live out a life of purpose, which ultimately contributes something positive to humanity, whether it be through teaching, outreach programs or through research.

While listening to the Laureates lectures and their comments during the informal discussions, I noticed a common theme in their comments. All of them stressed one way or another, the importance of doing something that you are passionate about and sharing this passion and knowledge with younger generations. This message was very inspirational and encourages me to pursue a career with focus and purpose.

I attended all the Lectures. Sir Kroto's lecture made a big impact on me because he stressed the importance of teaching younger generations. He doesn't just say this, but showed examples of himself working with young children. His manner of presentation and humbleness, showed not even a Laureate should take himself too seriously.

I attended informal discussions with Prof. Boyer, Sir Kroto, Prof. Ernst and Prof. Olah. All the discussions had value for me. It was interesting how the students were particularly interested in the Laureates views on politics, religion and large-scale global issues such as global warming, cloning and genetically-modified foods.

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting the other students from the States. We spent time socializing with fellow students from Venezuela, Germany, Estonia, and Great Britain to just name a few. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that expands one's mind and it forced me to think on a global scale.

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In all, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I never thought that I would meet a Nobel Laureate, let alone talk to one. Attending the lectures and discussions given by them was truly rewarding. Also the opportunity to meet other graduate students from around the globe was worthwhile. We are all working toward the same goal, the advancement of science. Being able to experience a culture different from my own was also a huge benefit from this experience. This trip has definitely been one of the highlights of my life and I just hope that others get to experience the same in their life. 

I believe that the orientation session held at the DOE building was very helpful. The presentation given by Dr. Orbach was extremely beneficial because he explained how integral a part the DOE plays in funding research in many different areas of science. His enthusiasm and excitement about science made me enjoy chemistry that much more.

I thought the idea of us all meeting in Washington DC before traveling to Europe was a great idea. It gave us time to meet each other and become acquainted. More importantly, it gave us a chance to see our nation’s capital, the heart of the United States.

I think the main thing I will take away from meeting with the Nobel Laureates is to enjoy research for what it is. Whether your research leads to a Nobel prize or not, you have to do your best but more importantly, love what you do. I think that this notion alone will help guide my career as a scientist. No matter what the future holds, as long as I follow this principle, my scientific career will be fruitful. 

I attended all the lectures given by the Nobel Laureates. I thought it was important to see science from different perspectives. All the lectures were very informative and beneficial to my understanding of chemistry.

I attended the discussions given by Dr. Kroto and Dr. Olah. The discussion held by Dr. Olah dealt with the need of finding new energy sources, other than fossil fuels. His idea of converting carbon dioxide to methanol was particularly intriguing. Carbon dioxide would be a very inexpensive energy source. He went on to state that methanol could then be converted into products such as ethylene, a major building block in the formation of polymers. This discussion made me realize that simple carbon dioxide could ultimately replace the need for petroleum based starting materials. Although this gas is believed to be a major cause of global warming, carbon dioxide will always be present as long as humans inhabit the Earth.

This experience, in all, has been truly awesome. I have met some of the most distinguished scientists in chemistry and was able to talk with them one on one. I don't know if I will ever get that chance again. Also, I was able to meet other graduate students from around the world from such countries as Germany, Israel, India, and the United Kingdom just to name a few. Visiting Europe has definitely broadened my perspective of the world and I learned to appreciate cultures that were different from my own. 

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Inspiration is the word that best describes how my experience with the Nobel Laureates will benefit my career. During his presentation on winning the Nobel Prize, Ahamed Zewail reminded me that the reason I chose to study chemistry was the "thrill of discovery" and the passion it evolves in you is the "key to your success." Paul Boyer's talk also reinforced these ideas when he described that winning the prize was a result of Life: his passion for explaining how ATP worked, Luck: he was fortunate to work on a good system, and Longevity: how Noji performed an experiment which helped prove that the ATP molecule had rotation. Being able to listen all the Laureates describe their work, pitfalls, and how they overcame them encouraged me. 

I found all round table discussions and scientific presentations to be interesting and entertaining because the Laureates touched on subjects ranging from scientific theory, results, and procedures to ethics, education, politics, and religion. The presenters had their own very special points so it is difficult to explain which is the most valuable to me. I found it interesting that Werner Arber's research asked the question of if rare base pairing of DNA could be contributing to evolution. Paul Boyer's arguments on education and standardization of genetically engineered foods required us to examine the product rather than the process, and George A. Olah's argument of why we need to provide solutions.

Attending this meeting made me aware of the importance of international collaboration within the scientific community and our responsibility to help provide scientific education within our countries. Richard R. Ernst gave examples of these ideas during his round table discussion on Chemistry for Curiosity or Profit. He pointed out that chemists need to "learn to think globally and work locally." Ahmed E. Zewail and Sir Harold Kroto also pointed out that it is key to "educate the people and government" on scientific issues so that as a whole, we can make responsible decisions for our world. These issues made more sense to me after traveling away from my hometown and the United States. Traveling abroad gave me a new perspective on thinking globally.

The entire trip from Washington, D.C. to Lindau, was memorable; however, there are three experiences that stand out as being highlights for me. The first was the flying over our nation's capital and quickly seeing all the beautiful and historical monuments. After arriving in Washington, D.C., I went to visit these monuments for the first time. I was amazed with their splendor and taken aback with the proud feeling of being an American. The second experience was my participation in the Polonaise during the Monday's social. It was my introduction to waltzing and I was extremely grateful for my partner who was patient and a very good teacher. I felt as if I were in a fairly tale, dancing and dining with the royal court. And the third most exciting experience was watching the final match of the World Cup and the celebration of the local people after the game.

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08/13/2002