Speech by Professor Shih Choon Fong
President,
National University of Singapore
9th Annual Dinner of the MIT Club of Saudi Arabia
2 March 2008, Riyadh
Intelligent Organization: Navigating Three Principles
Page
2/6
Underpinnings of Science and Technology
I often tell the story of my childhood years in Singapore, exploring the longkangs,or deep monsoon drains where danger lurked during sudden downpours. I was enthralled by the creatures I imagined hiding in the depths of the swirling waters. I often played with the frogs, salamanders and catfish found in the longkangs. My curiosity and love of adventure led me to experiment with firecrackers and take things apart to figure out how to make them work better.
Today, as a grown-up scientist, I remain curious and adventurous.
Like the world of children, science is about adventure, a mix of curiosity and play. Only with curiosity about the unknown, and exploration of the unfamiliar, can there be discovery. Somehow, for most people, curiosity and adventure are reserved for children only. Yet the innocent and simple questions children ask may actually be the most thought-provoking. "If birds can fly, why can’t we?" "How can I get back to yesterday?" "Where do dreams come from?" Pondering questions like these can lead to new and better answers and ideas.
One of my favorite adventure stories is the international best-seller by Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist. The Alchemist charts the quest of a shepherd boy who listens to his heart and pursues his dreams. The treasure he discovers is not just of riches, but also of new peoples and cultures, love and adventure. Overcoming his fears, he perseveres in the face of great uncertainties and challenges. He remains steadfast in his adventure of discovery and ultimately, transformation.
I understand the term "alchemy" comes from the Arabic al-kimia. As you may know, I’m a materials scientist. Some see materials science as modern day alchemy, creating new materials with magical properties. I regret that turning lead into gold and formulating the Elixir of Life are not within the scope of modern day materials science.
Materials scientists do, however, share a few things in common with alchemists – like curiosity, imagination and the drive to understand the natural world. In general, modern science arises from the vigor of curiosity, tempered by the rigor of reason. This interplay of curiosity and reason gives science its robustness and dynamism.
What then is technology? Technology is science responding to life’s necessities, and the many demands of the human condition. Technology gives us devices and inventions to make our lives better.
To quote Theodore Von Kármán, Caltech’s Provost during its formative years:
"Scientists discover the world that exists; engineers create the world that never was."
In other words, science is about curiosity driving us to understand the world. Engineering is about using science to transform the world.
Why am I saying all of this? I want to bring us back to King Abdullah’s vision of a world class university of science and technology. Curiosity interplaying with reason gives us science; science interplaying with necessity gives us technology. The interaction of science and technology is what helps bring about understanding of the world, connecting with the world, thereby contributing to the transformation of the world. By integrating curiosity, reason and necessity, KAUST will play its part, hopefully a big part, in the global knowledge community, dedicated to transforming our world into a better place.
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