Talk about the magnificence of human capital.
From Make: (hat tip Professor Mark Perry) [bold mine]
Maryland young maker Jack Andraka isn’t old enough to drive yet, but he’s just pioneered a new, improved test for diagnosing pancreatic cancer that is 90% accurate, 400 times more sensitive, and 26,000 times less expensive than existing methods. Andraka had gotten interested in pancreatic cancer, and knew that early detection is a challenge. He gleaned information on the topic from his “good friend Google,” and began his research. Yes, he even got in trouble in his science class for reading articles on carbon nanotubes instead of doing his classwork. When Andraka had solidified ideas for his novel paper sensor, he wrote out his procedure, timeline, and budget, and emailed 200 professors at research institutes. He got 199 rejections and one acceptance from Johns Hopkins: “If you send out enough emails, someone’s going to say yes.” Andraka was recently awarded the grand prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for his groundbreaking discoveries.
Additional thoughts:
Access to technology has vastly been improving people’s capability to acquire knowledge, learn and pursue innovation: All it takes are the WILLPOWER or the PASSION to attain a goal, and importantly, the courage or having a constructive perspective of failure.
Youthful Andraka seems like another Steve Jobs in the making: focusing on matters of personal (or career) interests or “what you love” than of the traditionalism and conventionalism.
Talk about extreme determination and persistence: 199 REJECTIONS!!!
Mr. Andraka’s experience demonstrates how conventionalism abhors the unorthodox—where what works has not been reckoned as the priority, but of the conventional mindset, methodology and standards.
Nevertheless it took only ONE acceptance to prove that his theory has been viable and aptly got recognized for it.
What an accomplishment for a 15 year old! Jack’s parents must be so proud of him.
May Jack Andraka’s tribe increase.
This is actually a good story to tell. This will surely serve as a great inspiration to many Pancreatic cancer alternative treatments patients. Hope she gets better. Have a nice day!
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