Two new PhD students from Mexico

They like Berlin as a multicultural metropolis: Two young Mexican scientists - América Torres and Eduardo Padilla - have just started their doctoral studies at the Fritz-Haber-Institute in the Department of Molecular Physics under Prof. Dr. Gerard Meijer.
 

América, 25, plans to work intensively on the free-electron laser over the next three years. The chemist has already gained experience abroad at the National Institute of Standard and Technology in Boulder/Colorado (USA). She is currently staying in the institute's guest house and plans to move into her own apartment at the end of November.

Eduardo, 28, from Mexico City, is doing research in low-temperature physics and expects it to take him about four years to get his doctorate. He also found it very difficult to find a place to live. In the end, he only managed to find a permanent place to stay in Tempelhof through personal contacts and intermediate housing. He feels very much at home in Berlin with its many clubs and cosmopolitan atmosphere, although he is still looking for a "really good" Mexican restaurant.

In their research group there is another Mexican, an Argentinean and a Spaniard, so they can also communicate in their native language. America and Eduardo speak only a little German, even though they know Germany from previous student exchanges. With English, however, they can communicate with everyone. For example, Eduardo also sang in the institute choir during the birthday serenade for Prof. Ertl, "that was a lot of fun for me."