Strive for failure, improve the world
鈥淩ealize that the work you鈥檙e doing is much more important than what you perceive it to be,鈥� urged Ann Makosinski (Intel ISEF 2013) to a roomful of Intel ISEF 2017 finalists at the Intel ISEF Innovation and Entrepreneurship Panel.
The projects and research finalists are working on are not only important to their lives, but to others, said Ann, the founder of Makotronics Enterprises.
Intel ISEF is life-changing, several of the alumni on the panel agreed. 鈥淭he path that I was on, and the path that I’m on after Intel ISEF, are drastically different. It all starts with science fair,鈥� said Kai Kloepfer (Intel ISEF 2013), who is working on creating smarter firearms through biometrics with .
鈥淚鈥檓 not being too boastful when I say ISEF and the 京东影业影视传媒 & the Public have some of the most extraordinary, creative, and successful alumni,鈥� said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the Society. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e disrupting industries and solving some of the world鈥檚 most intractable problems.鈥�
Now more than ever the world needs great thinkers like the Intel ISEF 2017 finalists, Maya said.
The work you鈥檙e doing is much more important than what you perceive it to be.
(Intel ISEF 2006-2008) realized at Intel ISEF that 鈥測ou don鈥檛 have to be old to create change.鈥� Many of the amazing companies in the world today were started by young people. 鈥淲hen people say you鈥檙e the innovators of tomorrow, they鈥檙e wrong. You鈥檙e the innovators of today,鈥� he said.
鈥淎lways do something that you can leave the world a little bit better than when you found it,鈥� said (2009-2012), a physicist and Thiel Fellow. He encouraged the finalists to think of the broader implications of their work. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do science without communicating it and thinking about its ramifications,鈥� said Taylor, who at 14 was the youngest person to produce nuclear fusion.
鈥淚t鈥檚 boring if you鈥檙e not trying to change the world,鈥� agreed Geoffrey Woo (Intel ISEF 2005-2006), the co-founder of .
When people say you鈥檙e the innovators of tomorrow, they鈥檙e wrong. You鈥檙e the innovators of today.
For Geoffrey, the skills he gained through science fairs have helped him greatly in entrepreneurship. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an important storytelling aspect鈥� to both, he explained, in 鈥渃onvincing judges or other stakeholders that what you鈥檙e doing is important.鈥�
Taylor agreed. Science fairs enable communication skills. 鈥淏eing able to communicate is what makes the research impactful,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no better venue to develop those skills than Intel ISEF.鈥�
Geoffrey tries to drive into failure because they help you face reality and learn. Meredith Lee agreed, explaining, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e not failing, you might not be trying to stretch yourself outside of your comfort zone enough to make breakthroughs,鈥� said Meredith (Intel ISEF 2000), the Executive Director of .
Some of Sheel鈥檚 companies have failed, and he thinks 鈥渇ailure should be celebrated,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 fail, it means you鈥檙e not actually trying to do something big enough.鈥�
Taylor echoed that sentiment, explaining that you鈥檒l never end up where you think. And sometimes when you fail, that鈥檚 when the biggest innovations happen.
Ann encouraged the finalists to release their inventions or research, even if they think it might not be ready. It鈥檚 possible to wait too long, to be a perfectionist. She聽created flashlights and phone chargers that take excess heat and turn them into energy.
Balance is also an important aspect of STEM. Prioritize your goals, long-term and short-term, and your happiness, Kai urged. Balance will help you be successful, he said.
鈥淵ou can become totally engrossed and exclude everything else in life,鈥� he said. During his Intel ISEF project, he stopped working out, talking to his friends, and going to class. 鈥淵ou can be efficient and successful in spikes by ignoring other things. But if you sacrifice everything else in your life, then you鈥檒l fall further back down.鈥�
When scientists are in the midst of working on their projects or research, they can also be very lonely. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not socializing, you鈥檙e busy doing the work 鈥� it鈥檚 important to bond and talk to other people in STEM,鈥� Ann said.
Failure should be celebrated. If you don鈥檛 fail, it means you鈥檙e not actually trying to do something big enough.
Geoffrey suggested maintaining your playfulness 鈥渓ike when we were five and played with Legos.鈥� This can help sustain them through hard, and good, times. Similarly, Meredith tries to make time for maker-faires and other fun events on the weekends.
