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Advice To Graduates
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I
TS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN IT SEEMS
that everyone I know has a child graduating from school at some level. My great-nephew Harrison has completed preschool; next fall, hell have to knuckle down to business in kindergarten. For my grandson John, it's on to middle school come September. Meanwhile, a legion of offspring of my friends and colleagues—Andy, David, Chris, Sara, and Mary Rose—are heading off to college. I'm delighted to note that David wants to major in chemistry, and Chris is considering mathematics or physics —which is not to say that any other field of study is less satisfying, just that I'm happy that some of the best and the brightest high school graduates are choosing science. Meanwhile, Matt, the son of my oldest friend, graduated from college last month and this summer will fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a Navy Seal. My congratulations go to all of these young folks! Closer to my C&EN home, I also extend congratulations to those who have just graduated with their bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D.s in chem istry chemical engineering, biochemistry, molecular biology, materials science, and other chemically related fields. These aspiring scientists are now moving on to the next stage of their lives. As they embark on this journey I have just one wish for them: Have a dream and work to fulfill it. A dream can be anything, of course, but I heartily encourage graduates to think about that day 50 or 60 years from now when they will look back over their careers and lives and wonder if they did something worthwhile. I believe with all my soul that we as a nation have recently suffered an impoverishment of the spirit. We could use a return in some ways to the post-Sputnik era, when science was seen as a noble calling, a way to make a difference in people's lives, to improve humanity's lot. I have a few other words of advice, which I recently delivered at the N e w a r k Academy of Sciences. I call this advice: "Ten Lessons from a Lifetime of Chemistry Communication," but I think they qualify as advice to graduates:
• Never do anything just to please your mother—or anyone else for that matter. • Follow your intuition. It is often better than looking only at the facts. • Never take "No!" for an answer. • Believe in yourself. • Never burn bridges—but know when it is time to move on, and then do it. • Never allowyourselfto become a martyr or to be victimized by anyone. • Engage in lifelong learning. • Get a life! That is, a life in addition to your work life. • Carpe diem! Don't let a day slip by without doing something to advance your dream. • Experiment. In the words of the immortal Cole Porter, "Make it your motto day and night." In the experimentation category, we all know that dreams may change as graduates move along their life pathways. I suspect that five-year-old Harrison's dream right now is to spend the summer playing with his Star Wars Lightsaber. Hopefully, he will have a different dream when he is 15. But if he achieves his dream right now and has fun doing it, it will give him confidence and enthusiasm for the next stage, and dream, in his life. Having fun, by the way, is a key element in achieving success. Bristol-Myers Squibb Vice President of Drug Discovery Paul S. Anderson, a member of C&EN's Advisory Board, recently told me that he gives his staff this advice: "Engage in lifelong learning. It will be fun, and no matter what happens, it will turn out okay" Sage advice, and I'll add one more tip: Be sure to join the American Chemical Society and read C&EN each week. Ifou'll be able to see for yourself how other scientists achieve their dreams. There are so many challenges left for aspiring chemical scientists. So to the class of 2002, sally forth and get started on making your dreams come true!
%i^^jW^ Editor-in-chief
Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS. HTTP://PUBS.ACS.ORG/CEN
C & E N / J U N E 10. 2002
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