A Lancaster University Physics researcher has been invited to meet some of the most celebrated minds in science at the 69^th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.

The exclusive opportunity to join the annual gathering of Nobel Laureates in Germany is aimed at outstanding scientists aged younger than 35.

Dr Samuli Autti is one of only 580 students, doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers from 88 countries to be chosen to attend the event, where he will have the opportunity to meet more than 40 Nobel Laureates, including the 2018 Laureates in Physics – Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou.

Dr Autti said: “Science has always been close to my heart. As a kid I used to read – and still do – popularisations on pretty much any science topic I could get my hands on. In retrospect, it is not surprising that the physics community has provided me with a place where I can satisfy my desire to find facts, and be encouraged to share them with other physicists and the public.

“While experimental physics requires hard work, it has also provided me with a journey to the wonders of nature, which I have enjoyed beyond all me expectations.

“I know that participating in the Lindau meeting may easily become a pivotal point in my career and an important step on my chosen path to push the limits of experimental physics. At the very least, the chance to interact with such a concentrated ensemble of brilliant minds will be a unique experience.”

Dr Autti’s research area is in ‘Ultra-Low-Temperature Physics’. This involves cooling helium to near absolute zero to produce a ‘superfluid’. Superfluids are traditionally used to explore Quantum Physics, with vast potential for applications such as computing, technology, and security. Phenomena arising in superfluid systems have also inspired discoveries in many seemingly distant fields, such as particle physics and cosmology, the Higgs Boson being a recent example.

Professor Roger Jones, Head of Physics at Lancaster University, said: “Samuli is an exceptional young scientist, evidenced by his already world-class published output in ultra-low temperature physics and his growing international reputation.

“I can see that Samuli’s own career will strongly benefit from the experience and connections he will gain in Lindau. He is currently building an international network of experts around him, which will support him when he decides to start his own research group.”

Since their founding in 1951, the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings have served to promote exchange, networking and inspiration.

The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting takes place between June 30 and July 5.