Hannah Behrens reflects on the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

Hannah Behrens, currently studying for a PhD in Infection, Immunology and Translational Medicine at St Edmund Hall, was chosen to attend the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Conference, where 600 researchers from around the world have the opportunity to meet and network with Nobel laureates. In this article, she reflects on her experience at the conference.

What do you talk about at a meeting of 40 Nobel laureates and 600 young scientists, I was wondering while sitting on the train to Lindau. The answer, as I would find out in the week to come was: firstly, some specific scientific topics, like personalized medicine and antibiotic resistance; secondly, advice from people who have lived a life in science; and thirdly, meta-science topics, like publishing, funding, inclusiveness and science communication. Most importantly, the meeting in Lindau was an opportunity to make friends. I spoke to many, many young scientists and a number of Nobel laureates. I hope that many of the connections made will last beyond Lindau and maybe even a lifetime.

My favourite parts of the programme were Q&A sessions with laureates Steven Chu, Randy Schekman and John Walker, a presentation by Rolex Award recipient Andrew Bastawrous (see his TED talk here).

Steven Chu, a Nobel laureate who had previously escaped my attention as his prize was given in the Physics category, impressed me by the variety of things he has worked on throughout his life. From a Nobel Prize for laser cooling, he now works on nanoparticles for microscopy, battery development, improving ultrasound for medical imaging, and climate change. He was also a member of the research collective Nokia Bell Labs and was the US Secretary of Energy under Obama.

Randy Schekman founded eLife, a journal as competitive as Nature or Science, renowned magazines in their own right, but entirely open access. When talking to Randy, a revolution in publishing culture seems not only possible but a reality that has already begun.

My exchange with John Walker, a 1997 Chemistry laureate, was exceptional because he is a great listener. As opposed to many of the other laureates who wanted to share their wisdom with us, he was the one who asked us questions. He was interested in our (and our generation’s) opinions on the big topics in science: is academia an attractive career path to us? Who should decide how to spend public money in research? Should pharmaceutical companies fund research that has a low chance of succeeding? What do you think about splitting the roles of researchers and lecturers?

Many of the young scientists said they were inspired by the conference and became motivated to work on their research projects with new energy. I must confess, the long days and early morning flights to and from Lindau left me – first of all – tired. Now, after a weekend with plenty of sleep, I can reflect and agree that this conference was an amazing experience. I am thankful for all the conversations and the scientific, meta-scientific and non-scientific input I received. The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting was without doubt one of the best opportunities I have ever come across.

Find out more about the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings