Don’t listen to the doubters

October 10, 2012 — doubters, school report, scientist, Sir John Gurdon, specialist

Yesterday at the age of 79 Sir John Gurdon was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine. This was the school report that he was given at the age of 15….

“It has been a disastrous half. His work has been far from satisfactory. His prepared stuff has been badly learnt, and several of his test pieces have been torn over; one of such pieces of prepared work scored 2 marks out of a possible 50. His other work has been equally bad, and several times he has been in trouble because he will not listen, but will insist in doing the work in his own way. I believe he has ideas about becoming a scientist; on his present showing this is quite ridiculous, if he can’t learn simple biological facts he would have no chance of doing the work of a specialist, and it would be sheer waste of time, both on his part, and of those who have to teach him”.

Don’t listen to the doubters.

Have a curious day.