The Institute had the privilege of welcoming Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010 for synthesising graphene, and is currently the Director of the Institute of Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM) and holds a position of a Tan Chin Tuan Centennial Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is also a part-time Langworthy Professor of Physics and the Royal Society Research Professor at the University of Manchester. 

Professor Novoselov started by discussing the process of scientific research, noting that experiments often start from ‘stupid’ questions (such as how to make frogs levitate). He then proceeded to discuss the process of synthesising graphene, which arose from the observation that there were no 2D materials in nature. To synthesise it, graphite layers were carefully sliced from graphite. Professor Novoselov delved into the properties of graphene, due to its unusual structure, such as high thermal conductivity, impermeability, and tensile strength. Furthermore, the discovery of graphene itself spurred the development of many other 2D materials, such as molybdenum disulphide and boron nitride, each with their own interesting properties. Professor Novoselov finally discussed some real-world applications of graphene, including how it is used in sports, telecommunications, and transistors, and showed how scientific discoveries can improve and impact our lives. Through these examples, he shared some interesting statistics, e.g. in one year, we only need 1kg of graphene to replace all the touch screens globally. 

One of the main takeaways that I had from this talk was how scientists do not always have a linear path in their careers. During the Q&A portion of Professor Novoselov’s talk, I was intrigued to hear how he nearly dropped out of university and went into construction instead. Professor Novoselov also described the role of inspiration in his work, which is linked to how art and science are connected in some ways. What fascinated me the most was the depth of Professor Novoselov’s knowledge in his field, and how he was able to explain complicated phenomena such as Klein tunnelling in graphene in a simple way that even a high-school student like me could understand. As someone taking physics and chemistry, I feel that simple explanations help convey the nature of science as a whole, and his talk broadened my worldview regarding material sciences. 

The Institute and Tanglin would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Professor Novoselov for delivering such an interesting and inspiring lecture. 

Tyler Y., Year 12 Student