Historical Lens: OSC Students Ask Nobel Laureate Donna Strickland Questions

I can recall the exact moment I found out that Professor Donna Strickland, University of Waterloo, had been awarded the Nobel Prize in physics. It was October, 2, 2018, and Jim Wyant and I were flying to Palo Alto to meet computer scientist and master of algorithms, Don Knuth. Already excited about the chance to talk with the “Yoda of Silicon Valley,” Jim became so overwhelmed—after reading in the Wall Street Journal that our friend Donna was now a Nobel Laureate—he left his cherished iPad on the airplane!

A self-portrayed “laser jock,” Strickland has spent much of her life studying and teaching optical physics; describing her research as “fun” and her job as a scientist “to explain nature’s magic.” Now, she shares the distinction of being one of three women to ever win the Nobel Prize in physics, following Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert Mayer in 1963.

Strickland and her former PhD advisor, GérardMourou, were awarded the prize for their groundbreaking work in laser physics, developing chirped pulse amplification (CPA) in 1985—the basis of Strickland’s PhD dissertation. These ultra-short, high-intensity laser pulses paved the way for the most intense lasers ever created, and have broad applications.

As part of OSC’s commitment to provide the opportunity for students, faculty, staff and the public to hear from and interact with some of the world's most renowned scientists, Strickland was scheduled to speak at UArizona in April, but the visit was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her talk would have reflected on the invention of the laser; the road to CPA; and how this new understanding of laser-matter interactions led to the development of new machining techniques that are used in laser eye surgery, micromachining of glass used in cell phones, and many future applications.

In anticipation of Strickland’s visit, OSC students and recent alumni were given the unique opportunity to put their questions directly to a Nobel Laureate. Encouraging students to “be creative” with their questions, Strickland took time out of her busy schedule to respond.

 

Is there a particular childhood memory that stands out to you as setting the foundation for your career in science? (Jilian Nguyen, MS Student, OSC)

I remember a beautiful cut-glass clock in my parents’ bedroom, with the clock mechanism visible through the glass. I wanted to see if I could figure out how it worked, so I took the clock apart. Unfortunately, I didn’t figure out how it worked; I simply destroyed the clock. But, I did have fun and realized I had a love for tinkering with mechanics. It was less fun after my parents found out what I had done.

Did you ever feel discouraged during your PhD research? If yes, what motivated you to keep doing the research? (Demininggus Pekei, MS Student, OSC)

Quite a few times. Sometimes my motivation to keep going came from talking to either my advisor or a different professor. Quite often it was being encouraged by my fellow grad students. Once, feeling discouraged, I went back to my family home. I turned on the television and began watching a documentary about Canada’s National Ballet school. The head of the school was saying that she tells all incoming students that if they can imagine doing something else then they should go do it, because they won’t stick with ballet; it will be too hard. I thought that was something that should be said to every incoming PhD student. In the end, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else, so I bucked up and went back to grad school.

What qualities do you most appreciate in students you are mentoring? (Aamir Nasir Quraishy, MS Student, OSC)

Students working in experimental science need a lot of patience and determination. I like to see students first try to find solutions to their problems by reading available scientific literature, and seeing if there is already an answer to the question they have. After they have looked at the literature and puzzled over ideas on their own, the best part of being a supervisor is then discussing the experimental data with them to see if together we can figure out what the data is telling us. I always like to remind students that science should be viewed as a team sport.

Do you have any advice for graduate students mentoring undergraduate students? (Maryam Baker, PhD Student, OSC)

I think doing science is quite different then learning science as an undergrad. Grad students should help show undergrads that science is all about not knowing. We spend too much effort trying to get our undergrads to know the science we are teaching, but being a scientist is all about what we don’t know.

What made your and Gérard Mourou’s method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses “beautiful,” as you have previously described it? What are some of the current ideas in science that you find beautiful? (Sander Zandbergen, PhD 2017, OSC)

What made it beautiful was the simplicity of the method. The whole idea was to stretch a pulse so it can be safely amplified, and then compress it to have the high intensity where it is needed and not where it causes a problem. I once told a first-year class that the beauty of physics is its simplicity and that the equation F=ma was one of the best examples of beautiful physics. The class did not quite get my point. They thought I was saying physics was simple, which of course it is not. F=ma is mathematically a very simple equation, but that simple formula contains a tremendous amount of basic physics.

You have been thrust into the international spotlight and are now, more than ever, part of a highly esteemed group of people. Do you plan to leverage this new global platform for a particular cause that is important to you? (Katie Schwertz, MS 2010, OSC)

I do have a louder voice then I had before, which has helped me reach people in government. I work with The Optical Society (OSA) on photonics advocacy through the International Photonics Advocacy Coalition. Our goal is to set up a network of centers for Global Environment Measurement and Monitoring. The other issue that I want to focus on is science literacy. I want everyone to understand that having a basic understanding of math and science helps in everyday life, as well as helps each of us better understand the big issues facing society, like climate change and health scares.

Since winning the Nobel Prize, you have been introduced to many famous and influential people. Who have you met that left a lasting impression on you? (Tammy Orr, OSC Historian)

I have had the opportunity to meet a number of incredible people. I think meeting Pope Francis stands out the most. It was one of the few times in my life when I was tongue-tied. I also was very fortunate to meet several Apollo astronauts. Charlie Duke talked to my husband, Doug, and me at lunch one day about the photo of his family that he left on the moon in 1972. There is an awe-inspiring documentary film, “Lunar Tribute,” based on this event. It depicts the wonder and anxiety of traveling across the blackness of space, and reveals the dedication of one astronaut to his family.