At 15:00 on November 18, 2015, the second floor of the usually quiet Unicorn Book Bar was filled with cordial and friendly laughter. Here, the SUSTC students were lucky enough to be able to communicate face to face with Prof. Robert H. Grubbs, a Nobel Laureate for Chemistry. As Prof. Grubbs was visiting SUSTC, the university authorities specially made this arrangement so that the students could have an opportunity to approach a top scholar and better understand the nature of scientific research. Prof. Zhang Xumu, Dean of the Department of Chemistry, was also present on the occasion.

In the conversazione, Prof. Grubbs related his research experience, expressed his expectations, and gave valuable advice for SUSTC students. His amicable and sincere demeanor told the students that he is a “top” scholar not only for his great academic attainments but also for his rigorous and pragmatic scholarship, tireless perseverance and pure enthusiasm. The affable and humorous words of Prof. Grubbs and the thirst for knowledge on the faces of students added a touching color to the Unicorn Book Bar.

[About applying to overseas universities-how to prioritize your points when applying to universities]

In the communication, some students said that when applying to universities, they are puzzled about the order of importance of different materials. They wanted to know the priority of GPA, language test results, application documents, and letters of recommendation in the eyes of Prof. Grubbs.

Prof. Grubbs jokingly said that he himself was admitted many years ago and now he is not very familiar with the admission procedure, but the selection of laboratory assistants has something in common with the admission of students. “I value letters of recommendation most. GPA is just one measure. Based on my experience, the students good at exams are not necessarily good at research (Laughter). I would value the part of your personal research in the application materials. If your letter of recommendation contains the evaluation of your research abilities, I would appreciate it very much.”

[About the “battlefield” of university-how to cope with stress?]

The issue of stress was raised by many students. A student mentioned that Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is jokingly referred to as Hong Kong University of Stress and Tension. What do you think of the stress facing the university students? Can you give us some suggestions on stress management?

On stress, Prof. Grubbs has his own insights. His words that “you feel stress, because you want to succeed” won a big round of applause from the audience. He noted that to manage the stress, first you have to face it. “For us scientific researchers, the stress is like a problem we encounter in the scientific research. Instead of eluding it, we have to find ways to solve it. In American universities, we have a special mechanism to help students with stress management. We have instructors (counselors) to listen to you and give advice. Therefore, don’t be afraid to seek help. Your teachers, classmates and parents can be good channels to help you relieve the stress.”

[About interests and work–tap into your interests and make unremitting efforts]

People often talk about whether their interests match their work. Students also asked Prof. Grubbs how they can tap into their interests to achieve success.

Prof. Grubbs said: “It is very important to identify your own passion and strengths. I’m from a famer’s family, so I value practice and am good at practice. I like to stay in the lab. Every time I did something, I would be very excited. I chose the field of catalysts because I felt catalysts are very useful (Laughter).”

“In fact, the real scientific research is to find the problems to be solved and solve them. I myself am not in the lab all the time, but when I drive and shower, I am thinking about ‘finding problems.’ (Laughter). When you find something you really love, you will integrate it into the details of your life and get inspiration from many aspects.”

[About general education–What matters is not only content knowledge but the ability to solve problems as well]

A student asked Prof. Grubbs about general education: “Our university provides general education for freshmen and sophomores; what do you think about general education?”

Prof. Grubbs fully agreed with general education. “The general education provides students with access to multiple disciplines. Even if you have decided your area, it is still necessary to roam widely, because you can’t be sure you will be always doing this (Laughter). We now spend a lot of time learning academic knowledge, but actually the more important thing is solving problem. That is the essence.”

“The ability to solve problems is interdisciplinary. When you are able to solve some non-chemistry problems and hear people say ‘so a chemist can also do this’, it is really cool.” (Laughter)

[About research and life–how to strike a balance between the two]

Students are very interested in the chemistry problems that Prof. Grubbs is concerned about. A student asked why in his research he always uses the element Ru instead of the element Pd or W. Prof. Grubbs replied that he has chosen to use this element for its chemical stability.

A student asked Prof. Grubbs, after winning the Nobel Prize in chemistry, how his life has changed. Prof. Grubbs replied humorously that this question has been asked many times after he won the Nobel Prize, and his wife thinks that he now spends more time dancing. He thinks that his life has not changed much after winning the Nobel Prize. He is still engaged in his beloved scientific research, and continues to find and solve problems from the perspective of an engineer (Prof. Grubbs is an academician of the National Academy of Engineering of the United States).

As students of a research-oriented university, SUSTC students are concerned about how they can balance their university life with research. A student asked Prof. Grubbs to give advice on this issue. Prof. Grubbs smiled and answered: “Research is indeed hard and takes great efforts, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t balance research with life. This is how I strike a balance between life and research: I would find the common points of interest of my family members and try them together with them.”

At the end of the conversazione, Prof. Grubbs stressed: “In your four-year university life, it is very important to find your own position. If a talented person is placed in the wrong position and does not find the right direction, his/her achievements will be limited.”

The one-hour conversazione ended in the incessant applause of students. One hour, compared to the long road of scientific research, only seems like a drop in the ocean, but the master’s witty teachings will surely accompany the students to overcome all obstacles in pursuit of their dreams.