Graduation Ceremony 22
Thursday 10 December 2015 at 1630hrs – Jesuits Church Valletta
Graduation Oration
Dr Therese Hunter B.Sc.(Hons.)(N.Y.),M.Sc.(N.Y.),Ph.D.(Cran.)
I wish to thank those who have given me the opportunity to address you on this special occasion, the
2015 postgraduate graduation. I am honoured to be here with you today to celebrate your success and
to voice the University’s appreciation for the hard work and determination that brought you this far.
I’m a rather down-to-earth kind of person, somewhat blunt, not one for flowery language and
philosophical quotes, as those who suffer me know. I have never really associated myself with words of
wisdom and inspiration. Actually I tend to make a habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and
I certainly do not have the answer to the question of how to be happy and successful in all you do. So, I
found the prospect of giving this oration a daunting challenge.
However after much contemplation, I have built up the courage to suggest a few things that I believe
matter, a few things I try to do myself, that I hope I will yet be able to do and many I regret not having
done.
Over the past twenty or so years the opportunities available for the students have grown exponentially.
When I completed my studies, many years ago, in the dark ages when an 8 MHz computer was crazy
fast, there were only a few graduate students at the University. Standing here today makes it glaringly
obvious that both as a University and as a society we have progressed in leaps and bounds. This has
been possible thanks to a few good men and women who have had the great foresight of believing in
the potential of our youth, in your potential. The Rector, Pro-Rectors, Deans, Heads of Department and
lecturers have worked tirelessly to create an environment that stimulates us to make the seemingly
impossible possible.
The relevance and necessity of research to the viability of a modern and advancing society has been
embraced by government administrations of the past two, three decades. Students, male and female, of
all ages and from all walks of life have been able to fulfill their ambitions thanks to government grants
for masters and PhD programmes. It is this type of investment that has allowed Maltese researchers to
collaborate and compete with established scientists in Europe, America and Asia. I wish to take this
opportunity to urge the policy makers to continue on this illuminated path of discovery so that the
tremendous achievements accomplished so far can gather even further momentum. As a country we are
now at crossroads. We can either continue by taking the difficult road to the top of the mountain which
sorely depends on support in terms of more funding for students and researchers, or we can choose to
take the easy road, downhill back to where we once started or beyond.
I have been at the University of Malta all my working life, for nearly thirty years and I have witnessed the
determination of consecutive Rectors and Deans. In fact today’s University is a tribute to their combined
vision and dedication to the essence of academia. Economics depends on innovation and innovation
depends on a strong research base. A long term strategy regarding scientific research cannot be
erratically dialed up and down because once lost, the status of research takes years to rebuild.
Prioritising research strictly according to economic impact is dangerous as it is impossible to predict
what will have long term benefits. Some of the greatest technological advances have been unforseeable.
Curiosity driven fundamental research has been responsible for magnetic resonance imaging, the
discovery of DNA and of many drugs. According to the director of the NIH, Francis Collins, ‘today’s basic
research is the engine that powers tomorrow’s therapeutic discoveries’. It has in fact been established
that the contribution of basic research to product development is greater than that contributed by
short-term goal-directed research. I do firmly believe in the relevance of basic curiosity-driven research
as it provides the knowledge that in turn fuels goal-directed research.
Although policy makers and scientists may never quite understand each other, each thinking the other is
somewhat alien in origin, it is time that we trusted each other and worked together out of genuine pride
for our country. As professional scientists we need to ensure that our message is altruistic and that it is
understood. On the other hand, the policy makers should involve and consult with as many different
scientists as possible for a holistic appreciation of local expertise and an understanding of the difficulties
we encounter. Like this we may all begin to feel that we have a common goal.
At this point I wish to express my gratitude and respect to each and every one of your supervisors
because they are the pioneers who have shared their vision with you, who believed in you, who see
beyond the horizon of current research and who persist despite combating frequent daily frustrations.
Occasions like today make us very aware of the amazing work that is carried out by dedicated men and
women at the University of Malta. I sincerely hope that these occasions also reassure forward-looking
entrepeneurs that our energetic, skilled graduates are all geared up to work. I therefore urge the
business sector to support investment in research and development in the medical and pharmaceutical
sciences because what may have been viewed as science fiction a few years ago is now, in fact,
extremely good business.
I wish to share a few words with the parents:
Please turn to your children, feel proud of them and then, feel proud of yourselves.
Thank you. Thank you for all those times that you thought twice before saying:
Are you sure this is a good idea…?
If I were you….. ?
But what will you do when…?
As parents we wish everything to come easy for our kids, with guaranteed security and preferably a big
pay cheque.
However as you very well know, allowing children to take risks, gives them the power to soar like eagles.
And that they certainly have done.
Preparing for today actually helped me to reflect on my own parents and how they courageously saw no
limits for each one of their children regardless of the many uncertainties of life.
And now a few words to the graduates because today is a celebration of your story, and the beauty of it
is that you still have an entire book to write.
Something my mother told me in her later years comes to mind:
She said ‘When I look in the mirror I see an old wrinkled face, but inside I still feel like I did when I was
sixteen’.
So young men and women, be kind to yourselves.
Listen to the essence of you.
The founder of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs once told a group of students:
‘Don’t waste your life living someone elses.
Don’t let the noise of others’ opinion drown out your inner voice.
And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition’.
So what I wish to ask of you today is that regardless of what is going on around you, the commotion and
hassles of life, do keep an ear pressed to listen to the whispers of your inner self.
You are all here because of your love of science irrespective of your area of expertise. Sometimes as
scientists we feel frustrated because although the fire, the passion felt is intense, it is often
misunderstood, especially by those who interpret success primarily in monetary terms. Discover and
nurture your fire and acknowledge that this fire is necessary both for yourself and for our society. As the
new generation of scientists, it is now up to you to represent. Science is not just a list of fascinating
facts. Science, whether it’s medical, pharmaceutical or basic science, is a process, the process of figuring
out how things work, why they are the way they are and how they can be improved. Each and every one
of you has in some way or another contributed to this process of science, that makes up the mosaic of
life. So as you start the next phase of your life, I urge you to keep on thinking like a scientist, keep an
open mind, stay curious, expect the unexpected and find the fascinating in the dull.
Each and every one of us present here bears the scars of having once been a student. As students we
tend to be pretty much at the centre of our own lives. There are so many deadlines to reach,
disappointments to stomach, adverse situations to persevere through, frustrations to tolerate that it
becomes difficult to give consideration to anything else outside our personal situation.
For you graduates, today is a major turning point in your life.
Be ambitious, of course, but remember that with achievement does come responsibility. Be ambitious in
a generous way, so that the beauty of science you strive to understand is shared with society. Allow the
world around you to have an effect on you, and connect, because we all have more in common than we
at times, are comfortable admitting.
People in general can be divided into two categories: the users and the carers. Society has supported
you most of your life, it is now your turn to care for society. Take work seriously, put in a good day’s
work, but don't take yourself too seriously
Think ‘How can I serve the world?’ The paradox about human nature is that selflessness is the best thing
that we can do for ourselves.
As we are here rightly celebrating your achievements and honouring your success, I also wish to say a
few words about failure. You will encounter twists and turns on your uphill climb. Don't be disheartened
as this is what challenges us. Small episodes of failure in life are inevitable and life without failure means
we have not lived a full life. When we confront the hiccups we experience in our daily life with
determination and a strong will, it allows us to appreciate what we achieve and re-enforces what we are
capable of.
And a few words to conclude…
Now is where the action is.
Don't live in the future because nothing happens in the future.
Take a deep breath.
This is your life.
You are our hope.
Take charge.
Be the voice that tells your own story.