The world is facing many challenging problems, but climate change is perhaps the greatest challenge, said Nobel Laureate Brian K Kobilka. “We may end wars, prevent a nuclear confrontation and reduce world poverty but climate change may be irreversible. My graduate and my generation largely ignored this threat of climate change, leaving the problem to your generation,” he said at the 61st Convocation of IIT Madras on Friday.

Addressing climate change will require a conservative effort from creative individuals; from different disciplines, including scientists, engineers, educators and politicians, Sai Kobilka, an American physiologist, and a recipient of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Robert Lefkowitz for discoveries that reveal the workings of G protein-coupled receptors.

The other major challenges facing the world include the evolution of viruses that may spark the next global pandemic. Wars in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine that don’t appear to have an end. The threat of nuclear confrontation with North Korea and Russia and poverty with nearly 800 million people don’t have enough to eat or medications to treat diseases.

Evolution of AI

A new challenge is Artificial Intelligence (AI). The evolution of AI will likely lead to great advances in science and medicine. However, we now know that it can be used as a weapon. “I hope that some of you will consider careers that will help address these challenges,” he said.

Kobilka said , “I don’t have any words of wisdom that will guarantee success going forward. I can tell you what works for me. I am here because I was awarded the Nobel Prize, a recognition that I have achieved as a measure of success in doing what I love. My career today is an example of how an average person can achieve a measure of success by a combination of factors that include hard work, persistence, element of luck and a great deal of help from family, friends and colleagues,” he said.

There are five factors that played an important role in my care. The first was passion to do something that I love to do and a challenging goal that I wanted to pursue. The Second was able to find role models and mentors for guidance at different stages of my career. The third was to recognise the strengths and weaknesses and find ways to leverage my strengths and accommodate for my weaknesses.

The fourth factor was to find balance in my life that is fulfilling family life outside of my academic career. Finally, the 5th and possibly the most important was not afraid to fail. I found ways to learn from my failures.

G protein

“A major goal when I began my independent career in 1990 was to obtain structures of a G protein coupled receptor in inactive and active states. It took 21 years to achieve this goal and ultimately led to my being awarded a Nobel Prize. Eyes. During those 21 years, I learned many things about how these G Receptors work from my many failed experiments,” he said.

At the Convocation, a total of 2,636 students graduated; 3,016 Degrees (including Joint and Dual Degrees) were awarded and 444 PhDs were awarded. ISRO Chairman S Somanath, received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering during the Convocation.

Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Madras, said, “India has already become a magnet for investments across various industries, ushering in an era of unprecedented opportunities. This is leading to a remarkable transformation and is steering us towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ - a developed India by 2047.

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