"Participating in the Nobel Laureate Meeting was educational and unforgettable"

"Lindau is not only an idyllically situated town on Lake Constance, it is also a Mecca of science. Nobel laureates from all over the world meet regularly at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings to exchange ideas with young scientists. In August 2017, I was among 40 participants from German universities (there were 350 in total from 66 nations) who were able to attend the 6th Lindau Meeting of Economics and meet 17 Nobel Laureates from the field of economics. For me and my colleague Benjamin Schwanebeck, who was also invited after a multi-stage selection process, it was an educational and, above all, unforgettable experience.

After completing my PhD at the Chair of Microeconomics in 2016, I am now a postdoctoral fellow at the Chair of Environmental and Behavioral Economics. The focus of my current research is on cheating behavior: In game-based experiments, for example, I have investigated whether individuals or groups are more likely to cheat - and how a competitive situation affects this  willingness. This is a topic that can be applied to our economy as well as to political and social aspects. My work was awarded, among others, the Science Prize for the best PhD thesis of the year 2016 in VWL. At the Lindau Conference of Economic Sciences, I had the opportunity to present my findings with a short paper. This was a great honor for me, and the positive feedback shows that I am on the right track with my research. For example, I had a very interesting conversation with Jean Tirole, winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Economics, after my presentation. He encouraged me to ask further questions, which I will soon incorporate into my research: What are the group dynamics like? Who makes the decisions, and who executes them? I am very grateful for his feedback. An outside view can sometimes be very enriching.

Participating in the Nobel Laureate Meeting was a unique opportunity. I experienced a week full of inspiring encounters and lasting impressions. We discussed with leading economists of the world and made important contacts. In a special network, we have the opportunity to continue exchanging ideas with the participants.