June 29/30 | July 1 | July 2 | July 3 | July 4 | July 5
Daily Trip Report: 2007 Lindau Meeting
Orientation Briefing and Travel Day: June 29 and 30
Friday, June 29
Judy Oakes and Jon Phipps read about the other American delegates in the Student Information Booklet.
Dr. Roland Hirsch discusses the Lindau region with Jodi Gilman and Lisa Carlson.
Dr. Tony Chan of the National Science Foundation discusses the various types of science funded by the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate of NSF.
Dr. Hirsch gives background on the Nobel Prizes and the Lindau Meeting.
After gathering in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday and Thursday, the students convened on Friday morning at the Forrestal Building of the Department of Energy Headquarters to hear some talks about exciting scientific research, learn about their sponsors’ missions, and become oriented for their upcoming trip to Germany.
Roland Hirsch, Program Director in the Life and Medical Sciences Division of the Office of Biological and Environmental Research within the Department of Energy provided some background information bout Alfred Nobel and the history of the Nobel Prizes, challenging the students with a quiz of Nobel trivia.
An overview of the research mission of the Department of Energy was provided by Don Freeburn of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences. DOE is the sponsor for 10 of the students to this year’s Lindau Meeting.
Tony Chan, Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences, gave an overview of NSF along with a talk about the importance of mathematics in scientific research. NSF is the sponsor for 20 students to the Meeting.
Michael Viola, Director of the Life and Medical Sciences Division, talked about the artificial retina project and its recent success in implanting electrodes in the human retina.
John Hammerstone, Senior Research Manager at Mars, Incorporated; Patricia Sokolove, Director, Interdisciplinary raining Programs, Office of Intramural Training and Education of the National Institutes of Health; and Linda Holmes, Associate Director for Science Education at Oak Ridge Associated Universities all gave overviews of their agencies and facilities.
Hirsch completed the orientation by giving the students some information on the Lindau meeting as well as the island of Lindau which would be the students’ home away from home for the coming week.
Sam Held finished up the orientation session with last minute details critical for a smooth departure to the Dulles and Philadelphia airports
After a buffet lunch at DOE, students returned to the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel to change into more comfortable clothes for the eight-hour flight to Germany.
Many thanks to Sue Ellen Walbridge for handling the logistics of the delegation’s entry into DOE.
Saturday, July 30
Although the Philadelphia flight departed three hours late, both that flight and the Dulles flight arrived in Munich within an hour and a half of each other. Upon arrival, each group of students collected their luggage, picked up some snacks, and converted some money prior to boarding the bus for the 2 ½ hour ride to Lindau. Along the way, students tried to catch up on their sleep, read, or enjoy views of the German countryside. Closer to Lindau, our travel to another country suddenly became real when the Alps came into view.
Once in Lindau, the students checked into their hotels — the Hotel Garni Brugger and the Hotel Garni Möve — and began to explore their new surroundings, discovering the location of the meeting, restaurants, and points of interest. For some, however, jet lag took its toll, necessitating an early dinner and lights out.
Dr. Michael Viola discusses the Artificial Retina project funded by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
Dr. Patricia Sokolove gives an overview of the National Institutes of Health.
Linda Holmes gives an overview of ORAU and education programs, such as fellowships and scholarships available to graduate students and postgraduates.
