PhD student set to rub shoulders with Nobel Laureates

While completing his undergraduate degree in chemistry at The University of Queensland (UQ), Will Anderson studied the work of Nobel Prize winning chemist, Dr Akira Suzuki.

Now, a PhD student in Professor Matt Trau's research group at The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), Mr Anderson will soon meet the Nobel Laureate at an international conference in Japan.

Mr Anderson is one of only five Australian students to be selected to attend the fourth Hope Meeting in Tsukuba, Japan from March 7-11.

The conference will feature seven Nobel Laureates in chemistry and physics and attract 110 PhD students from the Asia/Pacific region.

Mr Anderson said the Hope Meeting was the highlight of his short research career, with the chance to meet such eminent scientists.

"A chance to talk to people of such eminence will be very rewarding," the 24-year-old from St Lucia said.

"The event will attract high-calibre students and researchers. The contacts I make will be very useful. In 10 or 15 years from now, I could be working with them."

The conference provides PhD students an opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary discussions with Nobel laureates and other distinguished scientists pioneering the frontiers of knowledge.

Mr Anderson will present a poster at the conference, detailing his research on novel nanoparticle measurement devices and applications in vaccine, virus particle and protein analysis.

"I enjoy thinking about things and building things. I need to understand how things work. If I am not doing things, I get bored."

The Australian Academy of Science is funding Mr Anderson's travel costs, while the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science will fund living expenses.

Mr Anderson has previously attended international conferences in Wellington, New Zealand and Montreal, Canada.

Visit the Hope Meeting website.

Media: Erik de Wit (0427 281 466, 3346 3962 or e.dewit@uq.edu.au)