This June I had the opportunity and great honour to participate in the 66th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, this year dedicated to physics.

Seeing their beginning in 1951, the Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting take place once year, and see around 30-40 Nobel Laureates coming to Lindau “to meet the next generation of leading scientists”. More information about the meetings can be found on the official webpage.

It was a truly unforgettable experience. Apart from a number of remarkable talks by the Nobel Laureates themselves, a large amount of time is devoted to focused discussions between participants and Nobel laureates, which really allows for the exchange of ideas.

There was an infectious atmosphere of genuine curiosity about nature; one was constantly surrounded by people who are hugely motivated to ponder some of the toughest problems in physics today. Some of the conversations we had were truly fascinating. 

It was fantastic to have the opportunity to discuss my research with other top-calibre scientists and to serve as ambassador for the Department of Physics and the ISSA. I was proud to be representing Malta, which in recent years has seen a sustained growth in its research efforts. Aspiring physics students have wonderful opportunities available to them when they choose to follow a course in physics, with excellent prospects for advancing their studies through Master’s and PhD programmes with the Physics department and the institute.