Sometimes we study gas molecules that are stuck to a surfaceor that react on the surface. The possibilities are endless. We are also interested in applications to semiconductor devices, catalysis, and even to surface processes in outer space. Under this magnification the surface appears rough and bumpy because the thin Palladium film makes the otherwise smooth tungsten surface unstable. It is unlikely, however, that any of us chose to be a surface scientists because of the great industrial implications.
Surface science is a most invigorating field of study.
New questions and new challenges are never in short supply, no matter what your specific interest is. From abstract mathematics to hands-on experimenting you are guaranteed to find a matching subject in this field. This shows very precisely how this field is intertwined with other branches of modern science. On the individual pages of different research projects you will find more on the motivation for studying the particular project, and on homepages of LSM members you may find see what attracted them to the field. Surface science is the great crossroads of the highways of numerous disciplines.