Lisa Debeer-Schmitt
Lisa Debeer-Schmitt is an instrument scientist at ORNL’s High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR). From childhood, Lisa always knew she wanted to be a scientist, and she landed on physics as a result of encouragement from her father and her high school physics teacher. During graduate school, Lisa performed her first neutron scattering experiment at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France and was enthralled with the technique and its potential. She was later given an opportunity to work on GP-SANS at HFIR, and she has never looked back. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys doing yoga, playing with her sons, painting, watching TV, and sometimes playing video games.
I love doing new and interesting science using neutrons. I mainly focus on studying large-scale magnetic materials such as skyrmions using small-angle neutron scattering. These have a possibility of in the near future revolutionizing magnetic data storage and possibly providing a link to quantum computers. Lately, I have been part of a large collaboration to determine discrepancy in the neutron lifetime and how it could possibly be related to dark matter.
Courage is an important ingredient of success. Courage to try new things, whether it be a new technique or using your instrument in a brand new way. Courage to stand up to criticism of your work and your ideas. Courage to acknowledge when you are wrong. Courage to meet new and interesting people that you may not have anything in common with besides your love of science. Courage to be the only woman in the room and still have a voice."
–Lisa Debeer-Schmitt
