A 1965 Buick Taught Me Science

When I turned 15 in 1976, I started working at Baskin Robbins because it was the only place that would hire 15 year old’s.?When I turned 16 I almost had enough money to buy a car. My parents were able to loan me the rest of the money and I bought a little Buick Skylark convertible from a friendly couple we knew from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

She was a typical 1960’s car: she weighed several tons and needed constant repairs.?We didn’t have much money so my Dad taught me how to ‘mechanic’. Believe me when I say the little Skylark was a frequent teacher.?When I went away to medical school in 1984 gas was expensive and in short supply.?Knowing I was not able to work during medical school I traded her in on a little Kawasaki that burned a gallon of gas a week.?

I can’t seem to find a photo of the Skylark … so fast forward a couple of decades and say hello to a little brown 1985 Mazda RX-7 GSL-SE.?A few years ago a friend decided she needed a home … so I “took her in”.?Over a couple of years I restored,?rebuilt, and slightly modified her; now she hums like a fine sewing machine!?At least one weekend a month I take her out on a drive (when it is not raining!).?Lotsa fun to drive this little well engineered Japanese car.

?You are probably asking: “what do these car stories have to do with science ?”?

?First, all scientists need great teachers and I had many.?My father always invited me to ‘help’ when he repaired cars, tinkered around the house or fixed old TVs in the living room.?Thanks Pops!

Second, learning how to mechanic means that you have to do things that you’ve never done before and second, have confidence that you can get-it-done.?It also means that you learn to ask for help - not just to do - but to solve problems with others.?Gone are the days when science is done by an introverted geeky scientist alone in a lab.?Like most of life, science is a team sport!

I used to say in my research laboratory “we’re not smart enough to know what we can’t do”.?Notice ‘we’ is in there twice.?Fearless.?

We also said “you cant win unless you are willing to lose”.?And we failed.?And like Edison tried and tried again.?Then together we’d go off and do something technically difficult or better yet ask - and solve - questions that on one ever thought to ask.?Those days produced some of my favorite papers and many are highly cited and still cited today.

At the Translational Research Institute we bring these attitudes to our work every day.?We are still discovering every day.?And as always collaboration is king.?Many hands make light work.

Where did I learn these attitudes and tenacity ?

From a 1965 Buick … and a little brown Mazda !

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