Convocation speech
for
Dr. Mona Nemer
Chief Science Advisor of Canada
Honorary Degree
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario
June 12, 2024
Check against delivery
Chancellor Meighan, President Shepard, colleagues, distinguished guests, family and friends and most importantly, Class of 2024, good afternoon.
It is wonderful to be here at this esteemed institution whose graduates have contributed so much to our country’s rich history of scientific achievement and innovation. From Jennifer Gunter to Donald Charlton Bradley and Robert Dynes to two of Canada’s distinguished astronauts, Bjarni Tryggvason and Roberta Bondar, the people and research of Western have helped to establish Canada as a science powerhouse on the global stage.
Over the years, I have valued my numerous visits here, whether to participate in professional activities, or to visit collaborators, colleagues I trained with, or my own trainees.
So I would like to thank the whole Western University community — and the Faculty of Science in particular — for this great honour that you have bestowed on me today. I would also like to thank the many people around me who continue to shape my life and my career, my supportive family, inspiring mentors, exceptional students and superb collaborators. And to the Science Class of 2024, thank you for letting me share the stage with you on this memorable day. It’s your day.
As an educator, I cherish the opportunities I have to speak to young people and share my own experience of the world of science. I am always delighted by how enthusiastic and energized they are to make a difference in the world. Science affords us the knowledge and the inspiration to do that. As I’m sure many of you will come to discover, science is also a field that can take you down unpredictable and exciting paths — my own being a case in point.
I first came to North America fleeing civil war in my home country of Lebanon. I was attending university at the time but the conflict grew to the point that Beirut became a very dangerous place to be. By 1976, the campus was being shelled on a daily basis and I was forced to spend more time in shelters than in classrooms.
So you see, I know first-hand how deeply the destruction of war can penetrate people’s lives. What we are currently seeing on our media feeds of the violence in the Middle East and in other war-ravaged countries is only a fraction of the devastation that will linger, long after peace returns. For so many surviving young people, the prospect of receiving an education and building a future at home may be completely lost. Many dreams will be shattered. Very few will have the chance, that I was granted, to realize their aspirations somewhere else in the world.
It was this bleak prospect that pushed me to leave Lebanon to continue my university education. And so I set out on my transatlantic journey — alone, with a small suitcase and a big dream.
I enjoyed my time studying and making a new life in a new part of the world, first in Wichita and then in Montreal. Once I finished my PhD in Chemistry, I was offered a faculty position at Johns Hopkins University – an exciting prospect to be sure, but something compelled me to turn it down. Having carried out my research in RNA chemistry, I had become very interested in the rapidly growing biotechnology industry at the time, although clearly I lacked the “bio” part.
It turns out that didn’t matter all that much as long as I was prepared to keep learning. And I was. So I worked in the industry for a year, after which I returned to academia to pursue further study in biology and physiology. This decision to combine chemistry and biology as I trained in the new field of molecular biology shaped my career in many ways.
I have to admit, being beyond my comfort zone was challenging. But I learned to interact with people from outside my discipline. I also learned how to bring different perspectives and expertise together to address complex questions. These are skills that helped to open doors for me in life, and they certainly help me in my current role. From advising the prime minister to talking to journalists to representing Canada on diplomatic missions around the world — I have seen how good communication skills, open-mindedness and adaptability go a long way in building bridges and achieving success.
I share this with you to illustrate the value of making unconventional decisions and taking the road less travelled. There were times in my studies and in my career when I had no solid plan. There were times when I was told that I was making huge career mistakes, or taking unnecessary risks, “especially for a woman,” some would say.
But each of these so-called mistakes led to unexpected successes. And every success along the way increased my confidence in being able to address new challenges and contribute in new and unanticipated ways.
The fact is that I never assumed a role for which I was perfectly qualified on day one, and I am very grateful for that. After all, by definition, “perfect” literally means “complete.” A perfect fit could suggest little room for creativity and innovation in the job. Plus, success rarely depends on one person and is always the result of team effort. So relax!
When I became Vice President Research at the University of Ottawa, I knew a lot about research but only a bit about academic leadership from my experience at the Clinical Research Institute. But I saw the immense opportunities of being able to bridge sectors and disciplines so I took the job and learned as much as I gave back.
And when I was offered the role of Government Chief Science Advisor, I didn’t know how government worked but I’ve been always passionate about promoting science and mobilizing knowledge for the benefit of society. So I got a chance to build a team and define this new role but I have had to learn a lot about how policy comes about and how government works.
Dear graduates, never hesitate to consider a job or a new career just because you may not have all the required training or experience for it. And I would like to underscore this especially for the women in the room.
Science graduates often underestimate the rigour, analytical skills, team work and problem solving aptitude that they gained in their program. The so called “transferable skills” that all employers cherish. So look beyond your technical field. We need scientists everywhere, not just in labs, research fields or academic ranks. We need you in banks, insurance companies and venture funds. We need you to start and grow companies. And governments need you increasingly for policy.
We need science-trained professionals in all sectors – from journalism and law to international diplomacy.
This is crucial in today’s world where prosperity depends on science and technology and where international collaboration has never been more important to addressing our complex challenges.
At times, those challenges can seem overwhelming. But science has an enormous contribution to make in mitigating mis- and disinformation, in overcoming ideological divisiveness, in uniting people and in bringing about positive change.
Think of the Human Genome Project. Or the International Space Station. Or SESAME – the particle accelerator in the Middle East whose motto is “Science for Peace...”
This, by the way, is a shared particle accelerator facility. It is a collaborative effort, not owned by any one country. Scientists from different places and different backgrounds, speaking different languages, sharing the facilities and working together.
Its members include Egypt, Iran, Israel, and Palestine.
That’s right. Science for peace.
What SESAME and all of these incredible initiatives tell us is that science can help us find mutual goals and aspirations — even amid seemingly insurmountable differences.
Science gives us hope that tomorrow can be better than today.
So, as you take the next steps in your life path, whether they involve continuing your studies or setting out into the world, I hope you have every opportunity to use your scientific training to promote positive social change in the world.
You’re not just the leaders of tomorrow… You have the power to be leaders of today.
I encourage you to share your science, your discoveries and your knowledge for the public good. Use your expertise to serve at home, across our borders and throughout the world in your own way. Your training can help to foster dialogue and collaboration, build trust in our public institutions, and promote understanding across cultural, social, and geographical boundaries.
I wish you much success and fulfillment in your future endeavours! Thank you, merci, and again congratulations and good luck class of 2024!