Supporting Early Career Researchers: In Conversation with Former Oxford Instruments Science Prize Winners

Matt Martin, Managing Director, Oxford Instruments NanoScience

Oxford Instruments launched its esteemed Science Prizes back in 2005 to promote and recognise the novel work of young scientists operating in the fields of low temperatures and/or high magnetic fields.

We understand how challenging it can be to navigate the period between completing a doctorate and gaining a permanent research position. That’s why we are committed to promoting the innovative projects being carried out by young scientists. With the prizes providing reward, recognition and the visibility they need to continue their research, we endeavour to support early career scientists and, in turn, nurture the future quantum technology workforce.

I recently had the privilege of catching up with some of the exceptional previous winners from our European Science Prize, the Nicholas Kurti prize: Dr. Tino Gottschall, Postdoc at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf; Dr. Alexander Grimm, Tenure-track group leader at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI); and Dr. Samuli Autti, EPSRC Fellow at Lancaster University.

We spoke about their experiences winning the Oxford Instruments Science Prize, and how the prize has helped them progress in their careers and supported their current research. We also discussed the value science prizes hold for young scientists more broadly.

What can science prizes do for young scientists?

“Science prizes give visibility to the work of young scientists who are often at the beginning of their academic careers. That in turn can help with both attracting good PhD candidates and acquiring funding,” Dr. Alexander Grimm explained.

Going one step further, Dr. Samuli Autti suggested: “Early career researchers do all the scientific work that matters. Esteemed science prizes are a crucial support and enabler in this space.”

When asked why people should nominate their junior team members for the Oxford Instruments Science Prize, our previous winners were enthusiastic: “The competition in science is enormous,” explained Dr. Tino Gottschall.

“[Science prizes] help young talent gain visibility for their research focus and thus also international recognition. Supervisors should therefore definitely consider nominating their mentee to support them in their process towards scientific independence.”

“Both the added visibility and the conference/travel funding can be very helpful at the start of a research career,” agreed Dr. Alexander Grimm.

How did winning the Prize support your career?

“Winning the Nicholas Kurti Science Prize was a tremendous support for my career,” said Dr. Tino Gottschall. “Since the announcement, I have been able to set up my own research group and acquire my own third-party funded projects, which would probably not have been possible without this award.”

Dr. Samuli Autti added, “The Nicholas Kurti Prize has provided me leverage in my field to focus my research on topics that go beyond what the previous generations have achieved.” 

“I visited several universities in the UK (York, Imperial College, Oxford) with the support of Oxford Instruments, which led to really interesting exchanges with the researchers there. It’s a vibrant research community, and I hope to have more fruitful contacts with it in the future,” said Dr. Alexander Grimm.

What research are you working on at the moment?

“I’m focussed on magnetic cooling and I am still fascinated by how similar the topics Nicholas Kurti worked on throughout his life are to my own research,” said Dr. Tino Gottschall. “He is one of the pioneers of magnetic cooling, which makes me all the more proud to have received this award named after him,” he continued. “Together with my team, I am researching magnetic cooling in the cryogenic temperature range, in particular on the efficient liquefaction of hydrogen.”

Dr. Alexander Grimm shared, “Our group is working on bosonic quantum information processing with superconducting circuits. This means that we create fundamentally interesting states of quantum microwave light that also have applications for quantum computing and quantum sensing. We are also currently taking some exciting measurements on a new system… we plan on putting a paper on arXiv early next year.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Samuli Autti told me he is working on “a dark matter detector, phase transitions in the early universe and exotic superfluids, time crystals, cold quantum devices, the boundary between classical and quantum mechanics and how it might feel to touch quantum physics with your finger, neutron stars and simulating them in the laboratory.”

Supporting and nurturing the future quantum technology workforce is vital for our industry and research to progress, so we’re proud to have sponsored this prize for 20 years. Our incredible previous winners inspired us all with their innovative research, and with the next iteration of these prestigious science prizes now open, I look forward to seeing what brilliant research will be recognised by our committee for next year’s programme!

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Nominations for the Nicholas Kurti and the Lee Osheroff Science Prize are now OPEN

To find out more about the Science Prizes and to submit your nominations, visit: https://nanoscience.oxinst.com/science-prize

Application deadline: January 31st