• Question: What scientist inspired you the most?

    Asked by md1234 to Tommy on 30 Apr 2020.
    • Photo: Tommy Hayden

      Tommy Hayden answered on 30 Apr 2020:

      Thanks for the question

      It’s hard to give a very definite answer on – it can change depending on the situation I’m in

      The first scientist I was conscious of being inspired by was Neil Armstrong. I still find it amazing that NASA were able to get people to the moon and back with 1960s technology. It’s a very inspiring example of innovation and teamwork

      In terms of medical device design, Earl Bakken is very inspirational. He founded Medtronic (the company I work for). He started the business working from his shed…

      Steve Jobs is another very inspiring scientist. I love the stories about how he started out when it was basically him and Steve Wozniak bouncing ideas off each other

      All of those people literally changed the world with their work

Comments

  • Photo: Francesco

    Francesco commented on :

    Wow, great question. In my case it was Galileo Galilei, a really smart guy who lived in the middle ages and was able to catch some of the most fundamental concepts about the motion of bodies in space.

  • Photo: Michael

    Michael commented on :

    I was not inspired by any particularly “famous” scientist. However, reading about the work of Heisenberg, Dirac and Bohr inspired me into the theoretical side of science and the work of Woodward in synthesis of complex molecules was a wonderful insight into what you can do with chemistry.
    My inspirations are more the scientists who work in my field and some of whom I have been really lucky to work with. Prof. Illas in Barcelona is a real inspiration and a leader in my area

  • Photo: Roisin

    Roisin commented on :

    I was always fascinated by Marie Curie when I was in school, she was such an incredible scientist who made countless vital discoveries, and she was an important figure for women in science to boot! I recently read a book called ‘The 4% Universe’ (all about dark matter and dark energy, a really interesting read) and it had some information on a scientist called Vera Rubin, who again was an exceptional scientist who overcame some stiff odds to become a leading researcher in the field of cosmology, and became a champion for women in science!