Why science matters, especially chemistry, according to Nobel winner Akira Suzuki

Japanese Nobel laureate Professor Akira Suzuki is hard of hearing and tires easily, but when it comes to talking about his work, he quickly becomes animated and is eager to share his experiences.

Suzuki, 85, was recently in Hong Kong to recognise young people at the annual Social Caring Award organised by the Social Enterprise Research Institute, where he gave a speech encouraging more young people to study science in order to benefit humanity.

“Of course I don’t emphasise chemistry because I am a chemist, but I hope young people will be interested in it,” he says with a smile. “Physics, biology and mathematics are also important, as well as literature and philosophy,” he says.

Nevertheless, in his travels around Japan, China and Taiwan in recent years, he has been heartened to meet many young people interested in studying chemistry, as he says it is the science that produces new materials.

“Biology is the study of animals or plants. Organic chemistry helps produce organic compounds that are very useful.”