#SoCaltech: Hosea Nelson

“Instead of thinking about a particular skill set as being a requisite for becoming a scientist or engineer, a better way to look at it is to ask, ‘Hey, are you interested and excited about this, and do you have a skill that you can bring to bear on this area?’ And I think we all do to some extent. From my perspective—and everyone has a different perspective—the biggest driving forces for great science are actually creativity and courage.”

—Hosea Nelson (PhD ’13) is a professor of chemistry. You can watch his October 18, 2023, Watson Lecture, “The Chemistry of Everything: Uncovering New Treatments in the Natural World,” online. To view other Watson Lectures, visit Caltech’s YouTube channel.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.

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