Life at the intersection of arts and science

I clearly remember a day from last year that, instead of following the thousands of other days in my life and getting lost in my memories or, even worse, becoming forgotten, became a pivotal point in my life. Now, by the time you will have walked with me down this memory lane, you will have probably raised an eyebrow at how a pivotal point meant no change of direction and at how a couple of days can confirm and reaffirm someone’s world.

Last spring, I received a mail from my master’s thesis coordinator containing some information regarding a project put together by Roche titled “Roche Continents”. Unbeknownst to me at that time was that Roche, apart from being one of the largest pharmaceutical and medical research companies in the world, is also quite fond of philanthropy. Their contribution towards the societal betterment is mainly done through state of the art research, but their involvement and investment reaches beyond the here and now through projects hidden from the eyes of media which have the sole purpose of encouraging young minds to seek further, to break barriers that arise in their pursuit of knowledge and to show them that they are not alone and that, at the end of the day, their road which is seemingly paved with so much hard work (both in terms of the actual work that one has to do throughout his studies and every tangential effort that follows, but also in terms of being acknowledged and valued) is not for nothing. Actually, it is the same road that has been walked time and time again by those who challenged, fought, innovated and supported on their fragile, yet resilient shoulders, the absolute obliteration of the status-quo in the favor of what’s harder, but better, of what’s uncomfortable, but worthy, of what’s unwanted, but needed.

For the past decade and a half, Roche chose 100 top-students from European universities to participate in their yearly event which gravitates around a chosen topic. The past year’s topic was “Myths, data and me” and, in order to be granted a place at their “round table”, one had to justify his worthiness not only by offering a glimpse into what the three topics means to him but also to give an idea about how does one sees his position amongst them. 

Now, you have to understand two things about me: on one hand, my academic journey was coming to an end. Close to 25 years of studying, taking exams, passing them, failing them, 2 different universities in 2 different countries, each with its one completely different field of study and culture, countless hours of being worried, of doubting myself, were one exam away of being done. This was the time to prove to myself that I know what I’m doing and that this sinuous path took me somewhere. On the other hand, the fear of not being enough, of being put against thousands that way better prepared than me and come from more prestigious universities and backgrounds than me was a constant in my head and, after submitting my application, checking my mail was no longer a habitual action but rather a ritual that encompassed both fear and hope in equal parts. Answering their question (which had to do with my interpretation of the theme) was one of the hardest paragraphs that I ever wrote. However, it ended up being my ticket into the project:

“On one hand, one can argue that myths and data describe an otherwise perfect dichotomy. Making decisions based on anything else but cold, hard facts seems to be more and more reminiscent of the past and, while I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of such praxis, I would like to offer a divergent perspective on it. Myths and fables are at the very foundation of many traditions and cultures, having offered humanity explanations for centuries and even sparked curiosity. Why not marry the two and put data not only at the brink of debunking or validating myths but allow it to be shaped in a beautiful story and use myths as a learning tool? As for me, I want to be catalyst for this process, at the middle of it, reminding myths of the importance of facts and the data the value of a beautifully crafted tale.”

Was I happy that I got accepted? Of course! When I read their mail, I thought my heart will jump out through my chest. Did it feel good that I was “one of the few”? By all means. We all work for ourselves, but nobody can argue with the value of a tap on the shoulder or of a well deserved acknowledgement. But - and I can’t stress this enough - the most important part, the one that made it an experience which is so hard to explain, both to myself and to others, is the fact that someone saw what I saw. Somebody understood a drive that fuels my everyday life and that catalyzes a passion that helps me put words down and work tirelessly at times: value is found at crossroads. I worked in IT and I found value at the intersection of departments. I struggled in life and I found value in collision points, in places where I had to challenge my “known” with the environment’s “unforeseen”. Last year happened to be about myths and data. Move further away and it’s about science and art. Another step and you’ll find yourself looking at the intersection of people, of their experiences, of their life’s stories which just so happen to stumble upon each other at that very moment. And it’s these cross points that generate memories, knowledge. They create smiles, create a will to live and the need for improvement. Because of them, yesterday will always be a lesser version of yourselves and it’s thanks to them that I have the privilege of reminiscing and writing about this experience.

Months have passed and I still find myself being there, in Salzburg, surrounded by brilliant minds while asking myself what am I even doing there only to hear them voicing the same concerns. Having a glass of champagne with people who devoted their entire existence to knowing and being more. Smiling and aching for their seemingly unending thirst and energy for development, for overcoming their shortcomings while also helping others. Feeling the dumbest in the room and the proudest for being there. Wishing it will never end but knowing that its value is contained by its ephemerality. Hoping that I will also be part of their stories just as much as they are of mine. Fighting for always imbuing my work with whatever bit of their trade I could shamelessly steal in those few days. Seeing the worth of my holistic approach and always keeping in mind that, I, myself, am nothing but a small collision point on a random intersection at any given moment. 

Thank you Maurizio Telli for sending me that mail, thank you Roche for seeing what even I struggle to see at times and thank you to every single person that was part of the 2019 edition of Roche Continents. Your voices will forever be carried throughout my work and life.