Three UC Santa Barbara graduate student researchers are on their way to Germany after being selected to participate in the 63rd annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany. They are among 73 top students from across the country chosen to attend the June 30-July 5 gathering after a long and highly competitive multi-stage application process.
Stephen Donaldson At the meeting, in the picturesque German island city of Lindau, the student researchers will have the opportunity to hear lectures from Nobel Laureates and participate in less formal, small-group discussions with them. The meeting topic, which changes annually, is dedicated to chemistry this year.
The U.S. students are among nearly 550 young researchers from 78 countries who will be attending. The 2013 student group is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Mars, Incorporated, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU).
The UCSB students selected are: Stephen Donaldson, Chemical Engineering, sponsored by the DOE; Neil Eschmann, Chemistry, sponsored by the NSF; and Leah Kuritzky, Materials Engineering, sponsored by the NSF.
“It is obviously a great honor to be chosen for the Lindau meeting, and something I never expected to experience,” Stephen told the GradPost in a written interview while on a stop in Washington, D.C., before heading to Lindau. “I am looking forward to meeting, socializing, and talking about real issues with world leaders in the chemistry field, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Making personal connections with the Nobel Laureates and fellow young researchers will be invaluable as I begin my career in scientific research. I also love to travel, so exploring the island of Lindau as well as parts of Germany is an added bonus!”
Leah Kuritzky and Neil Eschmann
Since 1951, Nobel Laureates in chemistry, physics, and physiology/medicine have convened annually in Lindau to have open and informal meetings with students and young researchers from around the world. The Laureates and students exchange ideas, discuss projects, and build international networks. Stephen, Neil, and Leah became nominees after an internal UCSB competition. The NSF and DOE then selected participants from a large pool of nominees.
For more information on the Lindau Meeting and U.S. delegation, visit ORAU’s Lindau Meeting page and read the Office of Public Affairs and Communications press release. For a complete list of student participants, visit the Lindau Meeting participant page.
Congratulations to Stephen, Neil, and Leah!
