Nobel laureate Andre Konstantin Geim called on the next generation of scientists to resist the pull of routine and go beyond the confines of their job descriptions in order to make meaningful contributions to their fields.

“Too many brilliant minds have wasted their lives trapped in the comfort of routine. It is when we step outside our comfort zones and explore new ideas that we often find ourselves doing the most important things in our lives and careers,” said Geim, Regius Professor and Royal Society Research Professor, University of Manchester, UK.

Prof Geim was in Chennai on Saturday, addressing the 15th Convocation of Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS).

Geim highlighted the challenges and rewards of pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. He urged the graduates to embrace both the challenges and opportunities ahead and to push beyond conventional limits in their pursuit of discovery.

He pointed out that his most impactful work emerged from simple, curiosity-driven projects he pursued outside of his official duties. “A mere act of pouring water into an electromagnet led to the world’s first demonstration of magnetic levitation. Similarly, an attempt to mimic how geckos climb walls resulted in the creation of a revolutionary dry adhesive, now a major research topic,” he said.

Prof Geim, a Dutch-British physicist of Russian descent, is renowned for his pioneering work in condensed matter physics and material science. His most notable achievement is the discovery of graphene, which earned him the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Konstantin Novoselov.

Note on his discovery of graphene

Delving into the details of his Nobel Prize-winning discovery of graphene, Geim highlighted how curiosity served as the driving force behind the breakthrough. “I’m not even a biologist! The experiment that earned me the Nobel Prize began with a simple question: What if we keep dividing graphite into smaller and smaller pieces until it can’t be divided any further? This curiosity led to the discovery of graphene, the thinnest material in existence. It is through these moments of curiosity and daring to think beyond routine that we make our most significant breakthroughs, often the turning points of our careers,” he added.

Meanwhile, Indian aerospace scientist and Padma Bhushan awardee Nambi Narayanan shared the challenging journey of ISRO scientists in developing a liquid-fueled rocket engine. This technology now powers many of the country’s successful space missions and marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s space exploration efforts.

P Veeramuthuvel, Project Director at ISRO, also addressed the convocation, discussing the challenges faced during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. He stressed the importance of learning from failures, highlighting resilience, teamwork, and rigorous testing as crucial elements in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

Anand Jacob Verghese, Chancellor of HITS and Chairman of the Hindustan Group of Institutions, called on the new graduates to harness their knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact on society. He urged them to work towards creating a brighter future for themselves and future generations