A Journey of a Laureate

Salam all,

June 12, there was a talk given by no other, the 1998 Nobel Prize winner in Medicineμ Prof Dr Ferid Murad.

I had always wanted to go even if it was not made compulsory. It is an opportunity not to be missed, to listen to the Nobel prize winner himself, in person. Maybe there is something that I could learn from him. The talk was scheduled to begin at 9am till 11am. I have a class at 10.30am. A delayed class will not ruin anything as that is going to be my last class.

I reached the DATC compound at about 9am and thought that I was late. As I approach the hall, I can see many people were still outside the hall. Some are enjoying the packed breakfast provided while some are chatting among themselves. Whats going on? I registered myself and later was informed that the program will begin at about 9.30am as the audient are still pouring in and this might disrupt the talk. I find myself a seat and start browsing the internet. It was already 10.30am and the program hasn't begun. I was contemplating whether to leave for class or to wait and listen therefore cancel the class. The first option was chosen as this opportunity will not come very often. Almost as always, a program never begins as scheduled, it only begun at almost 11am. What a waste of our precious time waiting in the hall,

He began by detailing a bit about himself and the foundation, also about Alfred Nobel. About him wanted to become a doctor as young as 10 or 12 years old. About him enrolling into a doctorate program. Failures and successful of his experiments. Till the moment that he received a call at 4am from the Nobel Foundation announcing him as a winner. All this are very interesting. But when he began detailing his experiment, about the Nitrogen and oxygen bonding, I suddenly felt my O2 is decreasing. I am sleepy.

Among the gist of the presentation that I could gather are:

1. Do what you like to do and do best in whatever that you do.

2. You cannot achieve the nobel level if your working hours is only 7 hours a day.

3. You cannot achieve the nobel level if you are going to retire at 57 (now I know that I am out of the race. As though I wanted to join the race!!! Hah!). He is 75 and still stand strong for another series of research.

4. People will think that you know everything when you actually dont.
5. When you are a nobel prize winner, all you think are only things that surround your research and nothing else (because the professor was not answering any of the four questions asked by the audience). This is from my observation.

So, where are we heading now? Don't say that muslims do not need this. YES, we should be pioneering just like what Ibnu Sina and al-Khwarizmi did. Whoever you are, contribute to the muslim world in a way that you can as you will be asked about your contribution on THE JUDGEMENT DAY.

Wassalam.