At the 65th Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting:
Being enthusiastic for one’s own research – and having fun
Lara, how come you were invited?
A friend of mine who had been there told me about it. She was really enthusiastic about it and felt inspired – so I wanted to share the experience. I figured out how to try to get nominated and submitted my resume. Then, I was nominated by TUM directly. Once you’re nominated, you can apply officially. Luckily, I was accepted.
Was there a Nobel Prize Winner who you really wanted to meet?
Yes, I was really looking forward to meeting Professor Stefan Hell, Director of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, because I work with the STED microscope. He developed it, and that’s what he won the Nobel Prize for last year. I also spoke to quite a few others, for example to Harald zur Hausen, Robert Huber and Peter Agre.
What impressions did you take home?
I’m still enthralled by the whole event. It was absolutely fascinating – not only the talks of the Nobel Laureates. No matter what time of day, you could always approach them. There was a lively exchange, a lot of inspiration. Apart from that, it was really great to be able to exchange views with the other junior researchers. There were people from all kinds of scientific disciplines and from all over the world; chemists, physicians, physicists … and the discussions covered a wide range of topics. We didn’t only talk about science, but also about philosophy and politics.
What topics were especially memorable?
We discussed the political situation in Africa, since there were many African doctoral students present. Another thing I found to be interesting was to learn more about the Nobel Laureates personally – for example, whether they had to deal with a lot obstacles at first; rejected papers, for instance … or established scientists who doubted the laureates’ research findings, because the laureates weren’t known yet.
What tips did the Nobel Laureates have for you?
If you are really enthusiastic about your research, if you’re really having fun with what you’re doing, you’ll manage to deal with challenges. The notion that “it must be fun” was omnipresent. Another thing I thought was absolutely great was that the two female Nobel Laureates, Elizabeth Blackburn and Ada Yonath, emphasized that it is possible to have a family and still be engaged in excellent scientific research.
What is your conclusion about the 65th Lindau Meeting?
There was a very interesting exchange of ideas. The Nobel Laureates showed a lot of interest in the juniors and were very open to discuss anything with us. The conversations were fascinating and inspiring.
Sounds like you would like to visit again…
Definitely! However, as a junior researcher, you can only go once – unless you win the Nobel Prize yourself.
Are you working on it?
(Laughs) I’d say it’s best to be realistic.
Lara Kuntz, 27, is a student of Molecular Biotechnology at TUM. She is currently working on her dissertation, conducting research on connections between soft and hard materials. She and Leone Rossetti, her team-colleague at the IGSSE (International Graduate School of Science and Engineering), are trying to understand why the tendon-bone junction of the Achilles tendon is so strong and what structures are involved.
The results will not only be of interest in the scope of Medicine (for example when soft tissue has to be sewn to the bone after a tumor surgery), but also for the engineering sciences, concerning connections between steel and concrete in the construction of bridges.