Young Australian scientists to meet Nobel Laureates

The best young Australian scientists will have the chance to be mentored by Nobel Prize winners, thanks to a new collaboration between the Australian Academy of Science and the Science and Industry Endowment Fund (SIEF).

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Chris Evans, yesterday announced funding support for the ‘Science and Industry Endowment Fund - Australian Academy of Science Fellowships to the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings’.

Every year, 500 of the world’s best young researchers meet for a week in Lindau, Germany, to be mentored by, and exchange ideas with, Nobel Prize winners.

“The Lindau gathering provides a unique forum for scientific and cultural exchange between Nobel Prize winners and scientists at the start of their careers, giving young researchers a chance to meet inspirational role models,” said the academy’s Secretary for Science Policy, Professor Bob Williamson.

“The Australian Academy of Science has taken a small group of leading young Australian researchers to the Lindau meetings since 2004.

“This new collaboration will allow us to continue and expand the program and ensure Australia continues to benefit from this wonderful international exchange. The contacts and ideas our young scientists gain at the meeting will inspire them for the whole of their careers.”

Dr Megan Clark, Trustee of the SIEF, said the fund has always made a major contribution by investing in people who are the strength of Australian science.

“The Nobel Prize represents the pinnacle of achievement in science,” she said.

“It is fitting that funds gifted to SIEF by Australia’s premier science research organisation, CSIRO, are being used to bring an elite group of young Australian scientists into contact with Nobel Prize recipients through these fellowships, thus continuing this important legacy.”

This year’s 62nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting was dedicated to physics and featured as keynote speaker Australia’s most recent laureate, Professor Brian Schmidt.

More information on Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings is available at http://www.lindau-nobel.org/.