"The role of scientists is to write new books," sagely and firmly, Prof Dan Shechtman addressed the audience. Before bringing him glory, his discovery of quasicrystals first led him to a storm of scepticism that lasted a decade, and in 2011, it earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Prof Dan Shechtman at BNBU
On 24 March 2025, Shechtman brought his inspiring story to BNBU. In a talk titled "From Childhood Curiosity to Nobel Glory: A Journey Through Science and Engineering", he shared his remarkable scientific journey with faculty and students, offering insights into the power of curiosity, perseverance, and innovation.
Shechtman discovered quasicrystals in 1982, at a time when it was widely acknowledged that atoms in a solid material were arranged in a periodic, translational order and would have a particular rotational symmetry. Immediately, his discovery sparked intense controversy.
Two-time Nobel laureate and structural chemist Linus Pauling publicly rejected his work. Pauling said: "Danny Shechtman is talking nonsense; there are no quasi-crystals, only quasi-scientists." Shechtman was also asked to leave his research group at that time.
Yet, Shechtman never wavered. Over time, scientists around the world replicated his research and came up with the same results as his.Eventually, his findings were widely proven and accepted, revolutionising scientific understanding, and winning him the Prize.
Now, standing on the stage and being asked by an audience how he overcame the rejections of the majority and authority, Shechtman smiled and said: "Because I was a very professional electron microscopist, and I understood crystallography and rapidly solidified material. This combination was my advantage that other people did not have."
He continued: "In my case, if you want to prove that I am wrong, please repeat my experiments and show me what I did wrong, but don't tell me it's not in the books. The role of scientists is to write new books!"
He emphasised that his confidence required deep specialisation and encouraged students to be the number one expert in their field so that they could always be ready for challenges.
UIC President Prof Chen Zhi gives an opening speech
UIC Vice President (Research and Development) Prof Pan Jianxin presides the event
Group photo
Looking back, Shechtman encountered many challenges during his studies, such as digesting some obscure knowledge and confusion in doing research. "It takes experience, time, and devotion to solve them," he said. "But in fields where I did not have expertise, I collaborated, and each scientist would contribute different angles to create the whole picture."
Shechtman's academic life has been associated with microscopes, and he vividly recalled the moment he first looked through one as a young student. "It was magical," he said, fascinated by the sight of plant cells under the lens. "I pressed my eye to the eyepiece and didn't want to leave."
This early fascination fuelled Shechtman's curiosity about science, along with a lifelong dedication to research and discovery. Even at the age of 84, he remains deeply curious about the world.
During his visit to BNBU, Shechtman was particularly intrigued by the university's research on eVTOLs. He praised the institution's commitment to innovation and encouraged young researchers to integrate theoretical exploration with real-world applications, of which he is an active advocate.
Prof Dan Shechtman visits Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research and Application for Data Science
He used to set a course on innovation and entrepreneurship at his university for 600 students a week and cultivated more than 10,000 students over thirty years. A study later found that 25% of the course participants went on to establish tech companies.
Shechtman's rich experience in teaching also makes him a world-renowned educator as well as a scientist. He stressed that education is not equal to knowledge.
"Knowledge will make a knowledgeable person, but education will make a better person," he said, "and a better person is somebody who can see the other person, understand the other person, listen to the other person, be positive and be supportive."
Reflecting on his career, Shechtman realised how everything had been for him by chance, whether it was a casual conversation with a colleague that led him to explore rapid solidification, or a job offer that brought him back to Israel.
"Life is a gift," he concluded. "Don't take it for granted, and live wisely."
Prof Dan Shechtman and Prof Chen Zhi exchange souvenirs
The following is a transcript of the interview with Prof Dan Shechtman (edited):
1. Which modern scientific breakthrough impresses you most?
There are many discoveries, very many discoveries. Look at all the Wolf Prizes and the Nobel Prizes; each is an amazing discovery. There are hundreds of very important discoveries in physics, chemistry, physiology, development, mathematics, and technological innovation. A lot is going on in the world, and we are making great advances in both understanding nature and using what we understand for a better life for many people.
2. Is there anything else that still makes you curious?
I'm always curious to better understand nature, to better understand human nature, the psychology of people, and to better understand technology. I'm very interested in all these fields, including science, human nature, and technology.
3. Is there anything that you are curious about in Zhuhai or BNBU?
I visited several places and was impressed by your eVTOLs and the technology that you are developing for unmanned aircraft that can take off and land vertically. Usually, these things are done on an industrial level, but here they are done at BNBU. I think it's impressive.
4. What is the biggest obstacle you face during your studies at university?
When facing a problem, I don't call it an obstacle, but a challenge, for a "challenge" is sort of objective, and an "obstacle" is negative. Indeed, I have encountered many challenges, such as explaining and controlling every piece of knowledge and how to do good science. It takes experience, time, and devotion to solve them, and I have done all that and become an expert in certain fields. But in fields where I did not have expertise, I collaborated, and scientists collaborated. We wrote papers together, and good papers are a collaboration between or among good scientists, while each one of them contributes different angles to create the whole picture. So, being an expert, you have to collaborate and learn all the time, and be curious about what's happening in the world. This is a scientist.
5. What advice do you have for our future scientists?
I recommend young people study biology in the direction of physiology, become researchers in physiology, medical doctors, medical professionals, etc., and contribute through research and development to improve our lives. Although it's not my field, I think that there are many challenges to be solved in the future. There is work for many minds in that field for many years to go. Of course, it's important that everybody will study whatever they want, and a profession that they like in university.
6. What's the essence of education?
In my opinion, education is making you a better person. This is different from knowledge, which makes you a knowledgeable person. Education makes you a better person. What is a better person? A better person is somebody who can see the other person, understand the other person, listen to the other person, be positive and be supportive. This is education, and this is the role of the parents and the role of the teachers to make you a better person.
7. How will AI change our lives?
I use AI almost daily to check my grammar when I write something. However, I don't let AI prepare my presentation, I will take information from AI so that I can prepare a better one. Now is the starting point of applying AI in our lives, but in the future, I think we will be very beneficial by it. I can give you an example of how people have used AI to tackle traffic jams in rush hours. It's already starting, and I think it will make things better for us.
8. How will AI influence our education?
It depends on how teachers will direct the students. We will have to learn how to use it efficiently, making learning and teaching better, instead of depending on and leading by it. AI can help students with course preparation and self-learning, but teachers need to teach them how to use AI in an efficient way.
From MPRO
Reporter: Cecilia Yu, Koga Song
Photographer: Season Li, Hanna He
Video: Owen Li, Season Li, Ji Zixuan
