Graduate students join researchers at Nobel Laureate conference University of North Dakota graduate students Peter Reis and Daniel Theis have been invited to attend the 58th meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany. Reis and Theis were nominated for the honor by faculty of the Physics and Chemistry Departments, respectively, and were selected after a competitive application process. The meeting, set for the first week in July, brings together young researchers and other leaders in specific fields. This year's meeting, which will be attended by 25 Nobel Laureates, is dedicated to physics. The laureates will share their knowledge, discuss topical developments and establish contacts with more than 550 young scientists from 66 countries. "This is quite an honor for Peter Reis and UND," said Graeme Dewar, professor and chair of the Physics Department. Reis, of Grand Forks, said he expects a packed and exciting schedule when he arrives for the meeting, set in the island town of Lindau on Lake Constance in northeastern Germany. "The week in Lindau will be pretty busy. Every morning starts with a three-hour round-table meeting with laureates," Reis said. He added that the public television program "Nature" is expected to be on hand to film the meeting for a future episode. Theis, a native of the Twin Cities area, is a UND graduate student focusing his studies on theoretical physical chemistry under the tutelage of adviser Mark Hoffmann, professor and chair of chemistry. Hoffmann said Theis came to UND with the help of a U.S. Department of Education Graduate Assistantship in Areas of National Need (GAANN) grant, which helps schools recruit graduate students. To qualify for the Nobel Laureate meeting, in addition to their own credentials and studies, the young researchers must meet a host of criteria, including being in the top 10 percent of their class and being advised by faculty members who are funded by a grant from either the National Science Foundation or the DOE. Joseph Benoit, dean of the Graduate School, said Reis and Theis join a growing list of UND graduate students who have competed successfully for the honor to attend Nobel Laureate meetings. "It speaks highly of the quality of our students as well as the faculty who guide them," Benoit said. Since 1951, more than 25,000 researchers have attended the meetings in Lindau.