Join us for a panel discussion of the value of discovery science and the role of fundamental research in shaping the world around us.

Some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs began with questions that seemed abstract, obscure at the time. Yet history shows that foundational, curiosity-driven research regularly spark revolutions in human understanding and ultimately the way we live our lives and interact with the planet (and beyond).

In 2025, the University’s own Professor Richard Robson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discoveries that began as curiosity-driven investigations into molecule structures but ultimately paved the way for major advances in fields ranging from clean energy storage to catalytic reactors. His achievement is a powerful reminder that transformative innovation often begins with curiosity.

Hear from researchers whose fields were reshaped by work like Professor Robson’s, and learn how foundational research in chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics leads to real-world impact – often in unexpected ways.