one hundred reasons to be a scientist - ictp / trieste - Arvind Gupta

268 Pages·2004·3.92 MB·English

One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist

Copyright © 2004 by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)

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In this collection of about 100 highly
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attracted them to science as youngsters and E O H h R
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kept it alive, and what main piece of
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knowledge they have added to the O g
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extraordinary lore of science. High school
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whom the collection is primarily meant,will O TO BE rA CIENTIST
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ONE HUNDRED REASONS TO BE A SCIENTIST
- First edition y

Copyright © 2004 by The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
ICTP has the irrevocable and indefinite authorization to reproduce and disseminate this publication, in
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printed and/or computer readable form.

ISBN 92-95003-29-2
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Printed in Trieste by The ICTP Publications & Printing Section
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One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist
PREFACE
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Katepalli R. Sreenivasan
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste
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A paradox of our times is that, while our societies
have come to depend on technological advances as
never before, the interest in basic sciences is
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diminishing at all levels. Particularly distressing is the
lukewarm interest shown towards sciences by the
brightest students at the high school level. This state of
affairs holds true, to the lowest order, in developed as
well as developing nations, anId deserves our collective
attention.

The International Centre for Theoretical Physics
©
(ICTP) at Trieste, now named after its founding
director, Abdus Salam, has been at the forefront of
disseminating scientific knowledge to all segments of
scientists. Taking as the occasion the 40th anniversary
of our Centre, we thought it to be valuable to produce
this book containing a number of brief and personal
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accounts by some of the most eminent scientists of our
time, of what it was about science that captured their
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imagination as youngsters and kept it alive, and what

ICTP Photo Archives,© Massimo Silvano main piece of knowledge they have added to the
extraordinary lore of science. What message do they
ghave for the budding scientists?
In choosing the writers, I have kept in mind high standards of scientific accomplishment
and their connection to the Centre in some fashion. Slightly fewer than a hundred authors
graciously honoured the invitaition to contribute, and I am pleased to place before you the
result of the effort. The emphasis is different in each article but the authors have all made
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efforts to be accessible without demanding any special knowledge or expertise on the part of
the reader. Many authors speak from their heart and distil their experience directly. I have no
hesitation in saying thayt these pieces reflect the seriousness with which the contributors took
our missive and the affection with which they hold our Centre and its mission. I cannot
imagine that they would be sufficiently motivated otherwise to take the time and make the
effort needed forp the task. I am grateful.
I hope that the readers will find these essays at least as inspirational as I have; I would
have been pleased if I had the opportunity of exposing myself to similar articles as a young
student. Iot is my belief that high school students and young college students, for whom the
collection is primarily meant, will benefit as intended from spending some time with the book.
Even the most seasoned researcher will find it interesting.
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the abdus salam international centre for theoretical physics 1
One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist
This seemingly straightforward task needed some work on our end as well. Without the
diligent efforts of Mrs. A. Gatti, it would have been very hard to translate the concept into P
reality. Mr. E. Fratnik of the ICTP library lent his invaluable technical expertise and time. The
concept itself arose in a conversation with Professor C.N.R. Rao. To them all, I am very
thankful.
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ICTP is a self-governing body organized under a tripartite agreement, among the
Government of Italy, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations
Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist
CONTENTS
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Preface ............................................................................................................1
Contributors .........................................................................................T........11
Science and Scientists in Developing Countries ........................................29
Abdus Salam C
My Life in Science .......................................................................................32
Andreas Acrivos
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From Elements of Radio to Elementary Particle Physics ........................35

Stephen L. Adler
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African Physicist, World Citizen ................................................................38
Francis K.A. Allotey

RNA and the Origin of Life ........................................................................41
Sydney Altman t
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Mathematics: Imaginative Leaps across Disciplines ................................42
Michael F. Atiyah
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Science of the XXI Century ........................................................................44
Grigory I. Barenblatt
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Living with Physics ......................................................................................47
Michael Berry r
Why I Became a Pyhysicist ...........................................................................50
Nicolaas Bloembergen
A Duty to Impprove Public Understanding of Science ..............................52
Edoardo Boncinelli
Sixty-Oodd Years of Fluid Dynamics ..........................................................54
Peter Bradshaw
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One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist
Electricity Was Not Invented by Trying to Make Better Candles ..........56
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Edouard Brézin
A Life of Literature, Science, Engineering, Business and Public Policy 58
D. Allan Bromley T
It would be Wonderful to Prove Something .............................................61
Lennart A. E. Carleson C
Adventure with Cold Atoms .......................................................................64
Claude Cohen-Tannoudji
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Potential Scientists are Born Every Minute .................. ............................66
James W. Cronin
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How I Became a Scientist ............................................................................68
Paul J. Crutzen

The Making of an Academic Economist ...................................................70
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Partha Dasgupta
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To be a Scientist ...........................................................................................74
Christian de Duve
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A Random Walk in Physics ........................................................................76
Pierre-Gilles de Gennes
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Kindling and Sustaining Interest in Physics .............................................78
Mildred S. Dresselhaus r
Playing with Numberys .................................................................................81
Freeman J. Dyson
A Life in Sciencpe ..........................................................................................84
Sam Edwards
How Did Io Get from Here to There? .........................................................86
John B. Fenn
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One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist
Supernova and Supergravity ......................................................................90
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Daniel Z. Freedman
Education, Science and Chance ..................................................................94
Vitaly L. Ginzburg T
Listen to Your Inner Voice .........................................................................97
Maurice Goldhaber C
The Delights of String Theory ....................................................................98
Michael B. Green
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Measuring Consciousness .......................................... ...............................101
Susan Greenfield
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Some Personal Reflections on Being a Mathematician ..........................103
Phillip A. Griffiths

More and More Number Theory in Topology ........................................105
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Friedrich E.P. Hirzebruch
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Growing up in ‘Science’ ............................................................................108
John J. Hopfield
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A Life of Science and Some Politics .........................................................111
Julian C.R. Hunt
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Talent may not Always be Evident Early ................................................114
Daniel D. Joseph r
Scientific Truth ...y.......................................................................................118
Leo P. Kadanoff
Forays into thpe World of Astronomy, Technology and Space ...............120
Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan
Scientifoic Research is a Token of Humankind’s Survival ......................124
Vladimir I. Keilis-Borok
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One Hundred Reasons to be a Scientist
My Enjoyment of Science .........................................................................127
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Joseph B. Keller
Our Great Contemporary ........................................................................129
Isaak M.Khalatnikov T
Finding a Course through Adversity .......................................................131
Walter Kohn C
Issues of Responsibility .............................................................................135
Serge Lang
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Be Open to Problems ....................................................... ..........................138
Peter D. Lax
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On the Microscopic Origin of Macroscopic Phenomena .......................139
Joel L. Lebowitz

Scientists are like Explorers .....................................................................141
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Leon M. Lederman
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Physics Means Confronting Theory with Experiment ...........................143
Anthony J. Leggett
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Walk with Responsibility ..........................................................................145
Jean-Marie P. Lehn
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What Drew Me to Science ........................................................................147
Johanna M.H.Levelt Sengerrs
I Love a Puzzle .........y..................................................................................150
Simon A. Levin
Climatic Modelsp Through Computing ....................................................153
Syukuro Manabe
Rough, Loonely and Exciting .....................................................................157
Benoit B. Mandelbrot
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