Paul W. Bohn
The Power List 2021
Arthur J. Schmitt Professor of Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Director of the Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics initiative, University of Notre Dame, USA
Advice? Don't be afraid to try something new. Science is a conservative social construct, with a strong prejudice that people should “stay in their own lane.” Yet, some of the most powerful discoveries come from bringing the insights and experience of addressing one set of problems to a new scientific challenge. In addition to bringing a fresh perspective, scientists moving into a new area are not burdened with already knowing “what won’t work.” Last, I would note that I think most of us relish our careers in science, at least in part because it continually presents us with opportunities to learn new things, and moving into unfamiliar scientific terrain is a great way to do this.
