It may be difficult and costly to invite Nobel Prize winners to a forum. But for Bengt Norden this is a half day’s work with just a few phone calls.

The 68-year-old Swedish chemist invites scores of Nobel laureates to meet young college students every year in an annual symposium. The purpose is to change the mindset of youths who are becoming less interested in science and more keen on “profitable” careers.

“We bring Nobel laureates and other eminent scientists together with students to show how important science is and to inspire them at least to take up some scientific studies or going further to become a scientist,” the founder and chairman of the Molecular Frontiers Foundation said in an interview with The Korea Herald.

Norden, who served as chairman of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, set up the foundation in 2006 with two main purposes: to identify, early on, breakthroughs on the frontiers of scientific research, and to make society, particularly young people, interested in science.

At that time, he said, he was concerned in particular with the “increasingly bad image that chemistry has in society,” and the “decreasing interest in science by the young generation.”

So he asked some of his colleges for help, and the result is the Molecular Frontiers Symposium where high school and junior college students get to raise questions with some of the world’s top scientists.

The event has been held annually since 2007 and was hosted in Korea this year for the first time (at Korea University from Oct. 28-29).

Norden brought four Nobel laureates, including co-winner of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Arieh Warshel and 2009 Nobel Chemistry laureate Ada Yonath. He said he still maintains a very good network with the world’s top scientists, and they’re always more than willing to meet young students.

One reason why top scientists contribute enthusiastically on a voluntary basis is their deep concern about our future, he said.

He acknowledged that students are becoming less interested in basic science such as physics and chemistry because these are considered difficult career pathways.

“Many are attracted by easier ways, maybe looking more profitable, to be an economist or to work in real estate business.”

“We want to change the mindset towards natural science,” he said.

Norden, who currently teaches at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, said he aims to reach out to Asia, where there are still many curious young minds.

In recognizing Asia’s growing influence and research in science, the foundation established last year its Asia headquarters at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Europe has slowed its pace with its long industrial progress and young people are no longer interested in difficult science subjects, he said.

“But I see Korea, India and other Asian countries, there is enormous interest from youth,” he added.

To help young people not only understand science but also inspire their curiosity, the foundation has been running the Molecular Frontiers Inquiry Prize since 2007.

“The prize is for the questions you asked, not knowing the answers.”

The prize, he claimed, is the first ever science competition that rewards questions rather than answers.

Students under 18 can submit up to five questions per year for the prize, and the foundation awards prizes for the best questions. The judges are a panel of eminent scientists, including several Nobel laureates, he explained.

“Because we get hundreds of hundreds of questions, we need experts in the world, they have to say this is a good question.”

For instance, questions such as, “Why do short naps leave you feeling more refreshed than longer naps,” and “Why plants are not black,” won the previous awards.

One of the aims is to inspire youngsters not to take things for granted but to think big, he said.

“The prize is also for helping them find ‘big’ questions, as big questions get big answers,” he added.

Norden, who was touched by the vision and passion demonstrated by Nobel laureates, said he wished to inspire youth to reach similar goals and to spread the awareness of how science and technology is transforming society.

“To further develop our society, and to understand the importance of advances in science, we need not only a new generation of talented scientists; we also need those who are not scientists to partake in the ongoing global scientific discussion.”

Asked about the formula to win a Nobel Prize, the former chairman of the Nobel committee for chemistry, said he had three main criteria for possible candidates.

First one should have made a “door-opening” contribution that has either transformed the scientific field or made people think in different ways, he said.

Secondly, the results of research should benefit mankind. And finally, the research should be a timely discovery that is published in at least one publication.

He added he was “absolutely” sure, but it would still take some time before the first Nobel Prize in science comes to Korea.

“You have a strong development in the IT sector and some of the development is related to basic research, but not so much. You have to be patient and focus on important ‘big’ questions,” he added.

Profile of Bengt Norden

● Norden is the founder and chairman of the Molecular Frontiers Foundation.

● He graduated from Lund University in Sweden in chemistry, theoretical physics and mathematics and also earned his doctorate from the school in 1971.

● He has served as chairman of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. He is currently a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and also is chair professor of physical chemistry of Chalmers University of Technology, in Gothenburg Sweden.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@heraldcorp.com)