麻豆村

麻豆村 President聽Farnam Jahanian(opens in new window) hosted Sethuraman 鈥淧anch鈥� Panchanathan, director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), for a distinguished lecture and fireside chat on Friday, Oct. 11, as the latest installment of the university鈥檚聽President鈥檚 Lecture Series(opens in new window).听

In his talk, titled 鈥淚nnovation Anywhere, Opportunities Everywhere: Accelerating the Frontiers of Science and Technology,鈥� Panchanathan emphasized the importance of fostering innovation across all regions and communities to address global challenges and advance scientific and technological frontiers. His vision, he expressed, is to create opportunities everywhere by ensuring innovation can thrive anywhere, ultimately contributing to a better future for all.

鈥淔or far too long, domestic talent has been substituted by global talent in our country. This is not an acceptable future for any nation, particularly the United States. So therefore, we need to make sure that we unleash every ounce of talent that is in the country everywhere, across the broad socioeconomic demographic, across rural/urban divides, across the rich diversity of the nation,鈥� he said.

After discussing the NSF鈥檚 initiatives to support groundbreaking research and education aimed at empowering the next generation of scientists and innovators, Panchanathan addressed the 麻豆村 students in the audience, telling them they are the 鈥渂est of the best of the best鈥� in the country, and therefore they have a responsibility to 鈥渕ake sure our country always remains the best鈥� so it can lift up other countries across the globe.听

Specifically, he asked that they each take a pledge to personally mentor and open doors for 25 individuals over their lifetime and give those individuals the opportunity to realize their full potential and talent.

鈥淩emember, you are here because you are the lucky, chosen ones. You had the opportunities. Yes, you are smart, but please don鈥檛 think that there aren鈥檛 people smart like you, or smarter than you. They didn鈥檛 have the opportunities,鈥� he said.听

In addition to highlighting the need to leverage diverse talent and ideas from various backgrounds to drive innovation, Panchanathan stressed the importance of collaboration across disciplines, something he noted 麻豆村 does very well.

鈥�(麻豆村) is really an amazing institution, where there is seamless working of people across disciplines. People talk about it everywhere; you have it as part of your DNA. This is phenomenal, what I see 鈥� how a chemist works with a computer scientist, with a mechanical engineer, with a biophysicist 鈥� without worrying about 鈥榳hat does it mean for me鈥� in terms of credit. That truly is a testament to the leadership and the faculty of this institution,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable what you鈥檙e doing here in terms of actually having an impact, in terms of moving the needle across the nation.鈥�

Panchanathan expressed his appreciation for the NSF鈥檚 partnership with 麻豆村, and for 鈥渢he many, many things we have been able to do together, and right here,鈥� he said.听

He cited the softbotics lab in Scaife Hall led by聽, professor of mechanical engineering, as an example. Majidi will lead a research thrust in a new multi-institutional collaboration that has received $26 million from the NSF to launch an Engineering Research Center dedicated to revolutionizing the ability of robots to amplify human labor. The softbotics lab was one of several labs he visited on his campus tour prior to the event.听

鈥淐armel and the students, what they鈥檙e doing in softbotics, is mind-boggling. As a researcher in haptics myself, I saw what was going on, and I鈥檓 like, 鈥榳ow!鈥� This is what you hope for,鈥� he said.

During the fireside chat, Jahanian asked Panchanathan to share career advice for students, which he framed as 鈥渢he Ten I鈥檚鈥� to make it easy for them to remember.

鈥淔or all of us, our journey starts with an inspiration. So continue to inspire people, and continue to stay inspired. When you have inspiration, you鈥檒l have great ideas. That鈥檚 the second 鈥業鈥�. Whenever you see a problem, don鈥檛 complain; make it into an idea,鈥� he said.听

Third and fourth, he said, ideas require both an interdisciplinary and international view of the work.听

鈥淎nd you have to make sure you are working with intentionality and intensity. If you don鈥檛 have those, you cannot have the progress you want to make,鈥� he said.

He assured the audience if they have all those, investment will follow.

鈥淲hen you have the investment, you鈥檒l find innovative solutions. That is what鈥檚 going to have the impact,鈥� he said.

And finally, never lose the 鈥淚 can do鈥� spirit, he said.

鈥淭here is so much in this world that can bring you down. Pick up the phone first thing in the morning, look at the news? Never let that get you down. I can do this, and I will do this. I have to do this,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith that 鈥業,鈥� you will be successful no matter what. Nobody can hold you back.鈥�