Seven Current and Former Maryland MSE Students to Attend 73rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting

Seven current and former students in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at the University of Maryland (UMD) were selected to join the 73^rdLindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage in powerful discussions with dozens of Nobel Prize winners.

In Lindau, Germany, attendees will interact with prominent scientists like Anne L’Huillier and Ferenc Krausz, among other Nobel Laureates, for a week-long discussion on the impact of physics in the future of energy supply, artificial intelligence and quantum research.

Five of these scholars, who perform research under Assistant Professor Timothy Koeth, will follow the faculty’s footsteps as a 2004 Lindau Meeting attendee. Koeth recalls this experience as a formative moment for his career and looks forward to the growth that will come for his students.

“Our department has seven out of approximately 650 worldwide attendees selected from more than 20,000 applicants across all disciplines, and that is jaw dropping to me. I am extremely proud of my students, and I know, just like it was for me, the Lindau Meeting will be life-altering for them,” said Koeth.

“Representing MSE, I congratulate our current and former students for being selected for this year’s Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. I am sure they will cherish the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some of the best minds in the world. This is another testament of the great education and opportunity we provide to our students,” said JC Zhao, chair of the department.

Meet the 73^rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting attendees:

Sabrina Curtis ’17, M.S. ’18, Ph.D. ’23

Current position: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Khanjur R&D

Advisor: Ichiro Takeuchi (doctoral)

Research focus: Curtis previously aimed to fabricate deformable solar cells and batteries onto shape memory substrates that can be stretched, flexed, folded and rolled. She postulates that this type of device could be instrumental in revolutionizing off-grid energy production across the world.

Her interest in the Lindau Meeting: “I look forward to the opportunity to personally interact with the Nobel Laureates. This experience will definitely inspire my future research direction, and I hope it will foster new and innovative international research collaborations with the other participants!”

Miriam Hiebert Ph.D. ’19

Current position: Postdoctoral researcher, MSE

Advisors: Tim Koeth (Postdoctoral) and Ray Phaneuf (doctoral)

Research focus: Hiebert seeks to unveil the history of physics, with previous work tracking the tales of the uranium cubes used in Germany’s last nuclear reactor experiment during the end of World War II. Her book, titled “the Uranium Club: Unearthing the Lost Relics of the Nazi Nuclear Program,” maps the leftovers metals to explore the nation’s failed nuclear ambitions.

Her interest in the Lindau meeting: “As someone who is interested in the history of physics, the opportunity to talk with Nobel Laureates in the field is an opportunity unlike any I am likely to have again. I am looking forward to seeing what interesting discussions and new ideas I come away from this experience with,” said Hiebert.

Noah Hoppis Ph.D. ’24

Current position: Doctoral student, MSE

Advisor: Tim Koeth

Research focus: Hoppis aims to understand why the energetic particles outside the earth’s atmosphere trap inside satellite insulators, causing damage or full destruction. His goal is to understand why this phenomenon occurs to enable predictive tools.

His interest in the Lindau meeting: “My colleagues and I were chosen as some of the 650 attendees out of more than 20,000 applicants. To be chosen out of this exclusive pool is a tremendous and humbling honor,” said Hoppis.

Scott Moroch ’20

Current position: Doctoral student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Advisor: Tim Koeth (undergraduate research), Ronald Garcia Ruiz (doctoral)

Research focus: Moroch studies precision spectroscopy and ion-trapping of molecules for fundamental physics.

His interested in the Lindau meeting: “It is an honor to be selected to participate in the meeting and to be provided with the opportunity to engage with and learn from physicists who have played such a significant role in shaping or (in certain cases) inventing their respective fields of study. I am also very grateful to participate in an event that brings together individuals across all fields of physics, an environment which is quite unique compared to traditional conferences and workshops,” said Moroch.

Ariana Shearin ’22, Ph.D. ’26

Current position: Doctoral student, UMD Department of Physics

Advisor: Tim Koeth

Research focus: Shearin is working on developing a penning ion trap to study weak force physics.

Her interest in the Lindau meeting: “This is a valuable opportunity to immerse myself in the latest advancements and research efforts in multiple fields of physics. I am especially interested in in-progress experimental work that pushes the boundaries of observable phenomena and recreates extreme environments in a laboratory setting. I hope to contribute my own ideas and to gain insights from the many creative thinkers attending,” said Shearin.

Amanda Siciliano M.S. ’23, Ph.D. ’24

Current position: Doctoral student, MSE

Advisor: Liangbing Hu

Research focus: Siciliano studies sustainable thermal insulation for building materials.

Her interest in the Lindau meeting: “My commitment to attend the Lindau Meeting stems from a desire to advance my grasp of interdisciplinary research and global collaborations. I believe this opportunity will invaluably impact my career by allowing me to network with ambitious young scientists and engage in powerful scientific discussions with Nobel laureates,” said Siciliano.

Kathryn Sturge ’22, Ph.D. ’26

Current position: Doctoral student, UMD Department of Physics

Advisor: Tim Koeth

Research focus: Sturge studies dielectric breakdown in space-charged polymers.

Her interest in the Lindau meeting: “It feels very surreal. I am extremely pleased that out of so many applicants, I was one of those fortunate enough to be selected. I will be able to interact with some of the best minds in physics and gain a deeper understanding of the work currently being conducted in the field,” said Sturge.

Published April 10, 2024