Connecting across Generations at the 2025 Chemistry Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
July 17, 2025It is past midnight, and the bar is packed with young scientists from all around the world. There is a sparkle in their eyes, and the atmosphere is buzzing with excitement, laughter, and thought-provoking discussions: the so-called Lindau spirit. Ideas and experiences are exchanged, science is debated, and at the heart of each conversation lie the same questions: What comes next? What will science bring? And who will make the next great discovery?
Behind all of us lies the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting on Chemistry. A conference unlike any other, dedicated to connecting across generations, cultures, disciplines, and borders. 33 Nobel Laureates joined 606 young scientists from over 80 countries to share their knowledge and experience, to challenge assumptions, to reflect on failure, and to imagine the future of science.
Looking back, it’s hard to choose what was most memorable: queuing for breakfast with David MacMillan, strolling through Lindau with Frances Arnold and John Jumper, Jean-Marie Lehn’s beautiful Agora talk on how matter becomes complex, the honest and open exchange with Morten Meldal and his wife, or Martin Chalfie challenging us to question everything. We even got to meet Kurt Wüthrich, former professor of biophysics at ETH Zurich, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2002 for the structure determination of proteins using NMR spectroscopy. Every laureate was generous with their time, answering questions, offering advice, sharing personal stories, and giving fresh perspectives on challenging topics. In the end, it wasn’t just their scientific achievements that impressed us, but the kindness and enthusiasm they shared with all of us.
Caption: During ‘science walks’, young scientists have the opportunity to engage in informal conversations with Nobel Laureates. We walked through beautiful Lindau with Frances Arnold (Left) and John Jumper (Right), discussing science and life beyond the laboratory.
A professional highlight for Magdalena was presenting her master’s thesis research in the Next Gen Science Sessions: “I was quite nervous presenting in front of young scientists, Nobel Laureates, people from the press, and state representatives, but the experience was exhilarating. I could showcase the craft I love and, most importantly, exchange with and learn from others through insightful conversations afterwards.”
Indeed, the true power of this conference lies in the exchange with peers. Unlike other conferences, most of us came alone, which naturally led to an environment where connections formed easily, and phone numbers were quickly exchanged. It didn’t matter that we had different backgrounds, came from various universities, countries, and continents; we all shared one thing: a passion for chemistry and science. It’s like a conga line; the name may vary across cultures, but the chemistry is instant. Once someone starts, everyone knows how to join in. And that’s exactly how it felt in Lindau. Without hesitation, we joined the chain and just kept going, from breakfast chats to midnight discussions, and eventually a real conga line through the conference hall during the Bavarian evening!
Finally, we concluded with a celebration aboard the ‘Sonnenkönigin’ (the largest boat on Lake Constance) on our trip to Mainau island, wrapping up a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime experience, carrying the Lindau spirit with us for a long time…
Cosima Brudy acknowledges the support by the Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V.. Magdalena Lederbauer is thankful for the support by the Lindau Spirit Fellowship and the Austrian Study Foundation by the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Eva J. Meeus acknowledges the support by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Finally, we would like to thank ETH Zurich for their continued and invaluable support throughout our careers.
