Lindau in the 21st Century: more women, more dialog, more passion: An interview with Countess Bettina Bernadotte and Wolfgang Schürer from the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.

Bettina Bernadotte (BB): What we want to achieve through this dialog is to inspire the scientific youth. It was clear to my father, Count Lennart, who started the Lindau Meetings after World War II, that young people would profit from contact with Nobel Laureates, and that has proven to be the aspect that the Laureates find inspiring too. So it is a dialog between the generations, and between young scientists and Laureates, which brings together people from all over the world. For young scientists, this is a once in a lifetime experience, where they can benefit from this stimulating environment, explore mutual scientific interests, and share their personal experiences with friends and colleagues when they return to their home countries. Wolfgang Schürer (WS): In Lindau, the dialog encompasses more than two generations. Laureates and young researchers are at different stages of their careers. Some Laureates may no longer be in the lab every day, but they can convey their experience that reaches back more than half a century. In fact, it is the experience of a lifetime, dedicated to science. Others are involved in cutting-edge research and can directly relate to young researchers’ own situations. Then, you have a mixture of undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs. Some are at an early stage, and some have already made significant contributions to research. The Laureates are fascinated by the questions that the new generation of scientists asks. There are topics in science that are timeless, and there are topics that are specific for a certain time or context. The science and society dialog is an integral part of Lindau’s DNA. It addresses issues of ethics, responsibility, and the role of science in society at large. Last but not least, international cooperation in science contributes to creating mutual understanding. This aspect has been at the core of the Lindau dialog ever since it was founded as a European initiative of post-war reconciliation. Discussing all these questions goes beyond the scope of traditional scientific conferences, but it is an integral part of Lindau’s DNA. ER: How do you think things have evolved since the beginning of the Lindau Meetings in the ‘50s? As society is changing, science and technology are changing. So how does that influence and affect the meetings? BB: We adapted the meetings by increasing the number of participants, expanding the number of research fields, and increasing the number of countries from which participants come. And the meeting has evolved from a lecture-based event to include more opportunities for dialog. I also think the relationships between the young researchers and the Nobel Laureates have developed: It is much more dynamic and more proactive. Nowadays, a young scientist walks up to a Nobel Laureate and says, “Hey, I read about your work and I always asked myself how did you do that?” That would definitely not have happened in the 1960s, and I read that as a very good sign because it means that there is lots of interaction. I also think that through developments in new media, it has become easier for many people to follow what is happening in Lindau, which is a great way of furthering its impact beyond the confines of the meeting.