From the Classroom to the Research Lab
As a part of the Max Planck Society, the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) is one of Germany’s most successful non-university research organizations. A key priority is to inspire young people to pursue research. The Max Planck Society supports this through special funding programs that enable scientists from around the world to conduct research in Germany. In some cases, however, they find entirely different paths – the two high school students, Efe and Jeremy, contacted MPL directly.
“I want to do research. That’s for sure!”
School in the morning, university at noon, then off to MPL: Efe’s daily school routine as a 13th-grade student was anything but ordinary. His passion and curiosity for physics and research were the driving forces behind it. Efe, who graduated from the Albert Schweitzer High School in Erlangen this summer, began an early physics program at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) while still in middle school. FAU offers particularly gifted and high-achieving students the opportunity to participate in courses in certain academic disciplines as early students. This gives them the chance to gain their first experiences in a university setting – including taking exams – while still in high school. That, in turn, brought Efe to MPL. During an exam, FAU lecturer Professor Christoph Marquardt – holder of the Chair of Optical Quantum Technologies and head of a research group at MPL – recognized the 18-year-old’s potential for solving physics problems. Without further ado, he invited him to join his research group as a student research assistant.
Marquardt’s group focuses on quantum communication with continuous variables, as well as work on new non-classical light sources, quantum information protocols, and quantum measurements. Efe was exposed to a variety of tasks and was able to contribute to the further development of chip designs, write code, or interpret equations that serve as the basis for the team’s work. He also gained insights into various aspects of the QUBE-II project and learned how much basic research can directly influence real life: The QUBE-II project, funded by the BMFTR, is developing a German research satellite that will demonstrate miniaturized quantum components for quantum cryptography from space. “These experiences were very exciting for me. They showed me that research can spark developments that advance humanity,” says Efe.
Efe experienced the essential nature of international collaboration in research not only at MPL, where researchers from over 50 countries work, but also at international physics competitions such as the European Physics Olympiad (EuPhO) and the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA). There, the high school senior gained valuable experience – and was thrilled to win a bronze and a silver medal, respectively. Efe isn’t quite sure yet where his path will take him after high school – but his goal is clear: “I want to do research. That’s for sure!”
“You just have to ask”
Fifteen-year-old Jeremy also shows that you can start doing research even before college. Without hesitation, he reached out to several researchers at MPL. The result: he spent a week getting a taste of the work in Dr. Hanieh Fattahi’s “Femtosecond Fieldoscopy” research group and assist with their work. He quickly learned to align laser beams independently. In this precision work, the beam must be adjusted to the micrometer with mirrors and tiny pinhole apertures. He also built a telescope for beam shaping and analyzed Gaussian beams using a CCD camera. The fact that he immersed himself in the subject so quickly impressed both Hanieh Fattahi and Bachelor student Jasvinder Brar, who mentored Jeremy – especially since the student is only in ninth grade.
In addition to gaining insight into laser optics, Jeremy was also able to learn about fiber technology and 3D printing at MPL’s TDSU “Fiber Fabrication & Glass Studio“. During his time at the institute, he showed such a keen interest in the topics that he has been invited to come back and join on ongoing topics. Among other things, he could then help designing 3D models for a project, which deals with the quantum entanglement of solar photons. This project led him to Hanieh Fattahi’s group based on his general interests in quantum entanglement.
His interest in science began early: “Ever since I can remember, I’ve been asking questions. I wanted to know everything in detail. Why are there stars? What are they made of? How far away are they?” His family encourages him to pursue his thirst for knowledge. His school also supported him by allowing him to take the week off from classes to work at MPL.
Jeremy still has three years of high school left and does not yet know exactly where his path will take him. Looking back, Jeremy says: “All you have to do is ask. There’s so much research going on around you. A great way to start is just going to institutes and asking to come see a lab, even if it’s just for one day.”
Contact
Research Group Hanieh Fattahi
Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Staudtstr. 2
91058 Erlangen, Germany
