Published on the 18th June 2019 by ANSTO Staff
ANSTO biomedical materials scientist Dr Katie Sizeland is one of just 10 of Australia’s top young physicists selected to attend the 69th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Germany from 30 June to 5 July.
Katie and 580 fellow young scientists from around the world will have the opportunity to meet and learn from 39 esteemed Nobel Laureates, including the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics winners, Donna Strickland from Canada and Gérard Mourou from France.
“This is an opportunity to hear from some of the most outstanding and inspiring minds in the world,” said Katie.
Nobel Laureates have reached the absolute pinnacle of achievement in their professional scientific careers.
"I’m looking forward to tapping into their brilliant minds, learning what it takes to get to this point and how they maintained their passion, enthusiasm and determination to achieve such success.”
The Australian scientists were chosen following a rigorous selection process, first applying to the Australian Academy of Science, which recommends a number of young scientists to the Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.
The Council selects around 600 people to attend from the worldwide pool of nominees. The Australian scientists selected receive the Science and Industry Endowment Fund – Australian Academy of Science Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting Fellowship to support their attendance.
Katie is in good company – with this year’s Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting focusing on physics, the Australian cohort is primarily quantum physicists and astrophysicists from universities and institutes across the country.
Seven of the 10 Australian PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers and 50 per cent of all young scientists attending are women.
Attendees at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting will spend the week hearing from laureates at a series of lectures, panel discussions and master classes and attending open exchanges hosted by the laureates, and participating in social and cultural events with their peers.
Katie is also looking forward to meeting the other scientists who are attending.
“This is an opportunity to connect with a global network of researchers,” she said.
“Fostering global connections presents opportunities to broaden the influence of ANSTO’s work and develop international networks for learning and collaboration”.
The Academy of Science Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting Fellowship recognises Katie’s work investigating the nanostructure and mechanical properties of collagen and how it is generating real-life benefits in the biomedical and agricultural industries.
Earlier this year, Katie was also selected for a STEM leadership Initiative, Homeward Bound, and is one of 60 2019/20 Superstars of STEM.
Katie follows in the footsteps of previous ANSTO representatives at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in recent years. Both former ANSTO medical researcher Catriona Wimberley and ANSTO organic chemist Anwen Krause Heuer were past delegates.