Partners in science and in life- an international scientific Weizmann love story.
Max and Frida in 2013 as a new couple
Max Häberle and Frida Häberle (originally Reyes Arroyo) started their lives on different continents but found each other at the Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute (ISSI). Established in 1969, the ISSI is an annual science camp that invites talented high school graduates to the Weizmann campus from across the world, with about 17 different countries represented each summer and 20 different languages spoken. Its uniquely immersive experience provides participants with the opportunity to work together with Weizmann students and scientists and gain hands-on scientific experience. There are over 3,537 current and past participants of the ISSI program dated from its inception. Max and Frida are wonderful examples of we two ISSI alumni from 2013.
Max was born and raised in Germany. In high school he was involved in physics activities and met Jochen Reder, member of the Board of the German Society of Friends of the Weizmann Institute, ISSI mentor and a physicist by training. Jochen is responsible for the ISSI affairs in Germany. He believes this program is enormously impactful for the students and for the Weizmann Institute.
In 2013, Max applied and was accepted to the prestigious ISSI program on the Weizmann campus and decided to embark on an adventure at 16 years old. Max spent the summer in the lab of Prof. Shikma Bressler at the Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, where he gained hands-on experience alongside prestigious international scientists; he still remembers his Italian born mentor fondly.
Beyond the lab, he enjoyed the comradery of his ISSI peers and activities. At a salsa dancing activity, he had to find a dancing partner. That’s where he met Frida.
Frida was born and raised in Mexico. Science was a part of her life from a young age. She never left the country before the age of 17 but heard about the ISSI program. The idea of spending a summer abroad and doing science excited her! She applied and was accepted to the ISSI program, and her journey began. On the Weizmann campus, Frida interned in the lab of Prof. Rivka Dikstein, Department of Biomolecular sciences, working on creating a mutation for antibody research.
She originally met Max in the airport, but at the salsa class, a strong chemistry was clear.
Once the program ended, the two of them went their separate ways back to Germany and Mexico, but they continued their cross-continent relations for 7 years!
Max completed his BSc. and MSc. at the University of Heidelberg, and Frida studied medicine at UNAM in Mexico City.
In 2020, Max and Frida got married (and invited the whole ISSI cohort), and in 2022 they had a sweet baby girl, Isabella (the best product of ISSI!). The godfather is also an ISSI alum who is also a scientist.
Today, Max works at the Max-Planck-Institute for Astronomy and Frida is completing her thesis in her Medical Doctorate and obtained a German medical license.
When asked what message they would like to share to current/future ISSI participants, they both said that it was too hard to say in words, because that summer in 2013 impacted their whole life and had so many unexpected and very positive implications inside and outside of their academic goals.
When pressed, Max and Frida proudly said, “continue to be curious.” This heartwarming and inspirational couple exemplify the Weizmann way.
