Meeting with a Nobel Prize laureate

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In summary, the conversation revolves around meeting a professor who is a condensed matter physicist specializing in the quantum Hall effect. The person is seeking ideas for writing about physics and asks for suggestions on what to ask the professor. Various suggestions are given, including asking about the professor's creative process and inspirations, presenting a new speculative idea, and gaining insight into the mind of a successful physicist. The conversation ends with the person understanding the value of meeting the professor and gaining a rare opportunity to learn from them.
  • #1
lwymarie
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If you are going to meet a professor and you've got to ask him one question, what will you ask?
I am going to write abt 50 words about physics for selection purpose. He is a condensed matter physicist. His area of investigation is the quantum Hall effect. He has made a breakthrough which leads to a better understanding of how electrons in the semiconductor behave. In a two-dimensional semiconductor system, for example, a semiconductor heterojunction, the resistance was found to be quantized.

So what am I going to write? please give me some ideas. thx
 
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  • #2
Who is it you are meeting ? Is it Klaus von Klitzing ?

regards
marlon
 
  • #3
lwymarie said:
If you are going to meet a professor and you've got to ask him one question, what will you ask?
I am going to write abt 50 words about physics for selection purpose. He is a condensed matter physicist. His area of investigation is the quantum Hall effect. He has made a breakthrough which leads to a better understanding of how electrons in the semiconductor behave. In a two-dimensional semiconductor system, for example, a semiconductor heterojunction, the resistance was found to be quantized.
So what am I going to write? please give me some ideas. thx

Yeah, you should tell us who you're meeting.

From your description, especially the 2D semiconductor junction, I'm guessing it's either the two experimentalists who discovered the fractional quantum Hall effect (Horst Stormer or Dan Tsui), or if you're lucky, you'll meet the theorist who got the description right, Bob Laughlin.

Zz.
 
  • #4
Daniel Tsui..what should I ask him?
 
  • #5
so what should i ask him/what should i say to him?
i needa hand in 50 words about physics for selection purpose, help me please><
 
  • #6
lwymarie said:
so what should i ask him/what should i say to him?
i needa hand in 50 words about physics for selection purpose, help me please><
If it were me, I'd ask something like, Where do you get your best creative ideas and inspirations from? Do you seem to come up with your best and most productive ideas during the periods of intense work, or in the quiet relaxing times in between the intense work periods? Do you use a lot of mental visualization, or is it true that visualization is less helpful in QM?
 
  • #7
Thanks. How about how to write 50 words about physics for selection purpose? I think I couldn't say 'Physics is very interesting...'
Perhaps I can say 'Physics is the fundamental of science'? What else can I say :S

Help me please, quite urgent:)
 
  • #8
lwymarie said:
Thanks. How about how to write 50 words about physics for selection purpose? I think I couldn't say 'Physics is very interesting...'
Perhaps I can say 'Physics is the fundamental of science'? What else can I say :S

Help me please, quite urgent:)
If you post the exact wording of the call for submissions, that would help us help you.
 
  • #9
I've got accepted to meet him :)
But I have nth to ask him about:S
 
  • #10
lwymarie said:
I've got accepted to meet him :)
But I have nth to ask him about:S
If you dare, tell him that you’ve read this reply in PF. (It’s about 50 words)
I do believe that every resistance is build up from basic quantum resistance unit h/2e^2 where h and e are the usual constants.
All resistances are made up with a combination of parallel and series circuits of this basic unit. As usual resistances in parallel will decrease the overall resistance and series resistances add up.
As far as I know this is a new idea. Can you let me know his reaction? Most likely he’s going to say that there’s no evidence for that at all. ZapperZ will say the same.
eric
 
  • #11
Resistance is pretty much all about electron scattering from phonons (at room temp) so your speculation is pointless. I wouldn't bother presenting an alternative speculative view of a well known phenomenom to a nobel laureate.
 
  • #12
erickalle said:
If you dare, tell him that you’ve read this reply in PF. (It’s about 50 words)
I do believe that every resistance is build up from basic quantum resistance unit h/2e^2 where h and e are the usual constants.
All resistances are made up with a combination of parallel and series circuits of this basic unit. As usual resistances in parallel will decrease the overall resistance and series resistances add up.
As far as I know this is a new idea. Can you let me know his reaction? Most likely he’s going to say that there’s no evidence for that at all. ZapperZ will say the same.
eric

And you are also forgetting that I would also say that you need to re-read the PF guideline that you have explicitly agreed to. If you are going to be making a speculative theory and think that you can circumvent the rules this way, you should think again. Send your speculative idea to the IR forum, not here.

Zz.
 
  • #13
ZapperZ said:
And you are also forgetting that I would also say that you need to re-read the PF guideline that you have explicitly agreed to. If you are going to be making a speculative theory and think that you can circumvent the rules this way, you should think again. Send your speculative idea to the IR forum, not here.
Zz.

Sorry ZapperZ. So far I’ve not had a look at the IR forum, I will in the future.
 
  • #14
A researchers work is available to anybody. What will be uniquely available to you will be an oppourtunity to inquire about the other facets of research, the person behind the research, the thought processes that lead to successful theories, significant moments in his career. Don't just focus on his successes, ask about his failures as well and what he finds difficult about his work.

The most valuable thing you can gain from meeting him is a rare insight into the mind of a top physicist, glimpsing the sources of their passion and inspiration, passion and inspiration that is often highly contagious, not a piece of information anybody can dig out of a journal.

Good luck.

Claude.
 
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  • #15
Claude could you do me a huge favour and tell me where I can find such articles / websites? I am genuinely interested and not being sarcastic.
Thanks.
 
  • #16
There are a host of scientific journals available. Your best bet would be to find some references to his work - references will cite exactly what journal, volume, page number etc. the article can be found.

This is assuming of course you have access to such journals. If you are a university student, you can access these journals through the university account. Alternatively you can request a paper through the library of your institution. (In Australia at least, it may be slightly different overseas).

Google is always a good place to start, you can usually find a couple of references at least. You can also check out these websites;

Wiley InterScience - http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/home
Elsevier - http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/homepage.cws_home

These are two of the biggest publishers of scientific journals. Other popular journals include;

Nature - This is the most read and most cited journal out there - http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html

Science - Another high-profile journal - http://www.sciencemag.org/archive/

Claude.
 
  • #17
Thanks, much appreciated. It will take some time to plod through this.
Anybody else knows a shortcut?
Regards,
eric
 
  • #19
Yes, very good. Long live Google!
 
  • #20
I wouldn't recommend wading through entire journals, find a reference using google and then just look up that reference.

Claude.
 
  • #21
Ask him what he eats. Maybe he has a high protein diet which accounts for his ablities.
 

What is a Nobel Prize laureate?

A Nobel Prize laureate is an individual who has been recognized for their outstanding achievements in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, economics, and peace. The Nobel Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the world and is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.

How can one meet with a Nobel Prize laureate?

There are a few ways to potentially meet with a Nobel Prize laureate. One way is to attend events or conferences where the laureate will be speaking or present. Another way is to reach out to the laureate's institution or organization and request a meeting. However, it is important to keep in mind that Nobel Prize laureates are often very busy and may not have the time to meet with everyone who requests a meeting.

What can I expect from a meeting with a Nobel Prize laureate?

A meeting with a Nobel Prize laureate can vary depending on the individual and the purpose of the meeting. It may be a formal meeting where the laureate discusses their research or a more casual conversation about their experiences and insights. It is important to be respectful and come prepared with thoughtful questions.

Can I ask a Nobel Prize laureate for their autograph or a photo?

It is generally acceptable to ask for an autograph or photo with a Nobel Prize laureate, but it is important to be respectful and considerate of their time. It is recommended to ask before or after the meeting and not during, as it may disrupt the flow of conversation.

Is it appropriate to ask a Nobel Prize laureate for career advice?

While it may be tempting to ask a Nobel Prize laureate for career advice, it is important to remember that they are not career counselors. It is appropriate to ask for their insights and experiences, but it is not appropriate to expect them to provide specific career guidance. It is always best to be respectful and mindful of their time and expertise.

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