The lecture by the dean of Ehime University in ‘Iyo-education’ class
○date Wednesday, April 22, 2015 13:30 ~ 14:15
○location Ehime University High-school
○participants 10th graders
○lecture title “ Let’s experience serendipity!”
We had a talk about serendipity; a talent to find out something you didn’t intend to look for by coincidence and with intelligence. We learned that serendipity is involved in major scientific and medical discoveries such as antibiotics, micro oven, Saran Wrap and Post-it. We also learned about Ehime University’s serendipity related facts such as polycrystal diamonds from the Geodynamics Research Center and cataract from the Faculty of Medicine’s Ophthalmology Department.
He told us that everyone will encounter this type of coincidence, and the key is to recognize that coincidence and to utilize it. How you analyze that coincidence is also important.
Comments from students : H
I was surprised to learn that what we use everyday, such as micro oven, penicillin, and Saran Wrap weren’t made intentionally but came out of a mistake. I felt that serendipity is rather familiar to us, because Ehime University teachers also had that type of experience. However, If you want to change your failure into success, your creativity, receptivity, and sagacity becomes important. I want to broaden myself by keeping this in mind.
Comments from students : I
I’ve never heard the word ‘serendipity’ before. I was impressed when I heard that tools we use regularly and medicines that we take when we catch a cold were found by chance. If it were me, I would have given up trying once I failed. Now I think that maybe if I had surpassed my failure, it may have led to success. I think there will be regrets from my future failures, but I would like to get over that. I want to look at things from a broad perspective and increase my encounter with coincidences. This was a great opportunity to change the way I think.