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Thank you very much President Young Jun Kim, members of GIST faculty, proud parents, grand mothers, grand fathers, uncles, aunts, friends, and special others.
And to you, members of GIST class of 2014.

First of all, I would like to thank you all for allowing me to be a part of this joyful occasion in the celebration of your commencement, which concludes just one chapter of your life. I am deeply honored to deliver the first undergraduate commencement speech at GIST, and to hopefully leave a final mark on the paths of the graduating class.

I must admit that before coming here, I was a little hesitant. In fact, when I first got my invitation from GIST to deliver the commencement speech, I refused for two reasons. The first, which I will explain later, is my personal belief in avoiding any honorary degree. The second is that I had fear. Receiving my invitation, I immediately remembered how my old pastor always told me to avoid a career that required public speaking due to my lack of talent. He told me I did not have the gene for speech, that I naturally was not good enough. Since I really respected him, I accepted his frank opinion without any question. To this end, this opinion has been deeply etched in my mind and I still remember this even after twenty years. Because of this memory, I initially refused your invitation.

However, a few weeks later while reminiscing with my best friend about past life experiences, I realized that I should overcome this fear and come to GIST. I could clearly remember May of 1980, when I was just your age. I had failed to visit Gwangju in 1980s. (That fateful moment) I stood crying out at the other side of river, the Pacific Ocean, which stood as an ocean of tears for sealed fate of unsung heroes.

So it is not only my honor and privilege to congratulate you, class of 2014, but also a blessing to have received this invitation and speak in front of you all. You have given me a wonderful gift in my life, an opportunity to practice courage and feel liberated from the fear of public speaking, and gain a new freedom by being able to share my failures in public.

GIST class of 2014, you are gifted, special, and privileged college graduates. At this moment of life, you are sitting at the edge of the boundary, where the academic shell is about to removed. Yes, up until now you have been in a shell, a well-protected place, an incubator. Four years ago, you were selected to enter into the GIST campus, picked as some of the best and brightest, where you have been experiencing an academically stimulating and privileged student life surrounded by smart friends and excellent professors. Now time has come to break this protective shell and enjoy a delightful liberation from the college. Now you are ready to fly.

But are you really ready to fly? I hope you remember the story of how the bird struggled out of the eggshell in Demian by Herman Hesse. In order to be born, the bird had to struggle out of the eggshell. Of course, a bird should be inside the egg during the developmental stage. The egg is made to protect the bird, to let it grow when it is most sensitive and most open to danger. But, eventually the bird has to destroy this rigid encasing in order to finally put out it wings and fly. Dear friends, you have appreciated the four-year developmental period within one of the best environment this country has to offer. Now, are you ready to break through the wall, your safety layer, and fly? Not just like any bird, but like eagles? To not just flap, but soar? I strongly urge you not to fear exit. To break through obstacles is to reach creativity. The rigidity of educational, social, political, and cultural boundary is the shell and the obstacle to creativity. Now, you are well equipped with excellent education and experience from the GIST, it is time to unearth the innate creativity in you.

In my case, I was slow, and never realized my true creativity until my late thirties. However, I assure you that there is creativity in you whether you believe it or not. My logic is as follows: If one does not believe in God, then he or she must have the creativity to be the creator and power of your life, right? And if you do believe in God, then you must know that you have all creatures created in God’s image are created with creativity and beauty. It is a matter of personal decision whether to enjoy your creativity or ignore it. I urge you to cherish your creativity, your uniqueness, your capacity to think freely, every moment of your life, even during times of suffering, wrong accusation, misunderstanding, challenging tasks, finding the correct path, future careers, or even true love.

Regardless of false enforcements internal or external, you have to remember that creativity is in you, each one of you. Of course, you should not be brainwashed by false pride and false nationalism. Since nourishing that inner power with humility and grace is the foundation to your life, I would like to encourage you to remember the acronym of C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y as following:

C for Courage: Communicate your love courageously and fear not your failures.
R for Resilience: Most of creative activities require resilience.
E for Enthusiasm: Without enthusiasm, there is no creativity. Enjoy your work.
A for Action by Active Learner: Be a proactive learner:
T for Teachable heart: Find the truth from ordinary small things.
I for Imagination: "Imagination is more important than knowledge." (Einstein)
V for Vision: Without a vision, there is no life: you will perish.
I for Insight: Develop insight to make an impact on society.
T for Transformation: Learn how to transform hopeless ideas into innovation
Y for Youthful mind: Youthful-questioning mind inspires curiosity and creativity.

C for Courage in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Communicate your love courageously and fear not your failures.

One of my favorite quotes is “Creativity takes courage” by French artist Henri Matisse. Even though I am not an artist, I resonate with his words: “Creativity takes courage.” It is so true in science and technology as well as in human relationships. My dear young friends, creativity requires frank and courageous communication of your love without fear of failure. Communicate your love courageously for uncovering the truth in science, finding the right career, and true love for your girlfriend or boyfriend. “The truth will set you free.”

For example in science, many of you may not remember when in 1982 Daniel Shechtman communicated his keen observation of nature through "quasicrystals", his remarkable discovery at the time was considered a forbidden observation of nature. Shechtman received terrible hostility from close-minded people due to their limited understanding of crystals.

More terrible is that everyone who followed the voices of famous leaders ridiculed him saying he was insane, calling him a person who did not understand the basics of crystallography. Ironically, Linus Pauling, an idol of all scientists who twice won the Nobel Prize, was the leader of the antagonism towards Schechtman.

Because of the leader’s convincing voice, his colleagues also mocked him, insulted him, and expelled him from the research community. However, after 30 years of humiliation, his courageous voice finally transmitted to a few other scientists, who were able to verify his keen observations. In the end, Shechtman received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He had the courage to speak out, regardless of academic politics and sacrificed his own academic position in order to share the truth and hold onto integrity.

Even in your personal life, I would like to encourage you to speak out your love to your loved one instead of holding your words due to shy personality, lack of confidence, lack of self-esteem, family background, or social structures, whatever. Do not miss a chance to communicate what you love the most due to your fear of failure. Your genuine and courageous words would melt away the rigid walls of social, political, and cultural construct. Yes, courageous communication is an indispensable element of creativity, allowing the love for keen observations in nature, humanity, or personal relationships to prosper.

R for Resilience in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Most of creative activities require resilience.

Resilience is one of the key elements to creativity. It diminishes distress, condenses confusion, evaporates emotions, and calms calamities. In order to achieve creativity in you, emotional, mental, and physical resilience is necessary.

Many people have complimented me on my resilience since I received my BA from Berkeley when I was 37, became the oldest assistant professor when I was 40, and finished my PhD when I was 41. However, I have to say that the best example for resiliency in the pursuit of creativity is Joanne Kathleen Rowling. As you know, JK Rowling is the most famous author in our age; however, you have to remember that twelve different publishers rejected her first book. Can you imagine, Harry Potter, that ubiquitous book was first drafted in 1995? At that moment of her life, she had to deal with the “mess” as she herself described. She was a divorced single mom, living in a tiny flat with her daughter trying to survive. Since her mother passed away, she had to live on government support and stamps. Yet she never gave up her creative work!!

As my best friend told me, “Luke, your sufferings as a fatherless boy, hard working immigrant life as a janitor, busboy, dishwasher in Chinese restaurant are nothing” in comparison to JK’s suffering. Yes, I salute her. No wonder she has gathered so much fame. She is an inspiration, shaking the whole world with her powerful and creative words!! I realized that I should not get frustrated or talk of humiliation due to a few rejections of papers submitted to Science or Nature: we should try again and again and again, at least twelve times as JK did, right? Yes, creative works require resilience along with the real experience of learning from mistakes. Your resiliency will bear beautiful and creative works of art or science for you and others.

E for Enthusiasm in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Without enthusiasm, there is no creativity. Enjoy your work with enthusiasm

In life, an enthusiastic attitude produces creative art, creative music, creative science and technology. It is interesting to experience how our creativity can enhance motivation in life for its enjoyment. With enthusiasm, enjoy good friends and exciting work that becomes like play. When you find your love, a best friend, a work that utterly captivates you, or a very intriguing career, your eagerness and enthusiasm inevitably generate more creativity.

The most exciting moment of my scientific career was during my work at a small company, where I had privilege to be with enthusiastic scientists. As “Iron sharpens iron,” working with passionate people will enhance our creativity. Since enthusiasm is a powerful source of creativity, I urge you to be a carrier of contagious enthusiasm, to better enjoy your own creativity as well as to serve others in their creative pursuit.

I hope you will also enjoy the quote of Goethe as I was inspired by his philosophy, which provided me energy and motivation whenever I face challenging moment:

Knowing is not enough;

We must apply.
Willing is not enough;
We must do.
In the realm of ideas
Everything depend on enthusiasm…
In the real world
All rests on perseverance.

To me, it is easy to publish and perish, but to cherish innovative, original ideas requires a lot of perseverance. With enthusiasm, I hope you can cherish your perseverance to deliver your hidden ideas and spark the creativity in you. During this process of delivering your inner creativity, you have to trust your mentor, who will act as your guide, and friends whose interest and critique will act as your fuel. Trust your mentors who care for you and enjoy any suffering, then you will produce amazing creativity.

A for Action by Active Leaner in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Be a proactive learner: both action and reflection are required for innovation.

Actively engage. Be an active learner of art, literature, science, and technology instead of a passive follower. Enthusiastically seek admirable people, connect through events, communicate, and work together. It is your choice to be a passive or proactive creator. It is your responsibility to take action and cultivate creativity within you instead of becoming a victim of passive aggressive behavior.

Like Helen Keller, you can choose to be the active author of your own life and enjoy your work. When you really enjoy your work as a janitor, artist, busboy or scientist, your eyes will be opened to see creative solutions in each moment of your daily life. We cannot convince others to follow you, control what they choose to believe or how they feel, but we can actively learn from others by reflecting on their responses and reactions. In that very moment, you will find an innovative solution. This principle can be applied even in the process of innovative scientific discovery. When you choose to be proactive instead of passive for your love, your lover and your work, you will find creative solutions because you have a purpose-driven life and science.

T for Teachable heart in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Find the truth from ordinary small things.

Learn from janitors, ordinary workers, small thing, and insignificant things. Berkeley is located so close to San Francisco that I have met many visitors from Europe or Asia asking me what hot research topics to choose next. My answer is simple. Choose by looking at insignificant things, where you will find a truth that people barely paid attention to. That is the new topic to focus on. If you defer to the so-called hot topic, then you become nothing but a follower. You even lose the chance to capture novel insights and truth. However, if you choose to observe and be taught by small things, then you will in turn become a significant contributor of essential subtleties, which reveal beautiful truth.

Do you know how Michael Faraday became one of the most influential and significant scientists in history? Even Albert Einstein kept a picture of Faraday on his study wall. Teachability. Faraday did not have the chance to receive a formal education; however, he did not fall victim to the situation or relegate himself to ignorancy. Even though he was a mere bookbinder, he had a teachable heart and read as many books as he could after work. His poor family background would not allow him to consider attending any college at that time. However, because he had a teachable heart he pursued self-education. This nourished him to create a different paradigm and find the truth since he was able to see nature from a different perspective. His teachable heart was the key to creativity, preparing him to discover the revolutionary concepts of electricity, magnetism, and electrochemistry as well as the Faraday constant.

I for Imagination in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: "Imagination is more important than knowledge" (Einstein)

I completely agree with Albert Einstein’s statement “Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” Imagination is more than knowledge, because it connotes initiative rather than passivity or static familiarity of knowledge.

When searching for the etymology of the word the “imagine” I found there was no direct Latin cognate. Instead the Latin translation is the phrase “animo fingere”. “Animo” means mind or soul and “fingere” is the present active infinitive of the verb “fingo”, meaning to shape, make or create. Here, the individual is active and dynamic, personally conceiving new ideas (in and of the mind).

I have the greatest respect for Maria Montessori because of her most keen assertion: “Imagination does not become great until human beings, given the courage and the strength, use it to create.”

We humans must take imagination seriously by taking action and affecting something concrete. Montessori’s statement hearkens back to the Latin phrase. Both stress the first-person initiative and human effect. “Animo fingere” We have the internal agency to make and create through the mind. That same agency, which enables us to conceive ideas, enables us to materialize them.

You and I need imagination for creativity since current knowledge is inadequate. As Montessori said you and I must learn how to execute that creativity for our society, the global community.

V for Vision in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Without a vision, there is no life: you will perish.

After I became full professor at Berkeley in 2005, I had an opportunity to work as Chair Professor of Systems Nanobiology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zürich. As a result, I had a privilege to reflect on the development of modern physics at the historical café in Zürich, where famous scientists from all of Europe often get together. One day after I saw the F grade on Einstein’s academic transcript in the library of ETH, I went the café and reminiscing his time machine with his international physicist friends.

I questioned how one who failed academically and could not graduate ETH became the greatest physicist. How did he write so many papers that transformed physics without even getting a degree from ETH? How did he publish his important papers in just few months in 1905? He clearly had a vision. He was a late boomer and deemed a failure. He also failed the entrance exam of ETH and had to wait for another year. However, he had a vision to revolutionize physics. Remember his statement that “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new,” and follow Einstein’s vision to create new paradigms and allow you to gain lessons from mistakes. Once you have a clear vision for your creative work, do not be afraid of trying something new.

Since I had a chance to establish a new institute at the ETH, I looked back at the history of Caltech. How did such Caltech become such a prominent science powerhouse and produce 33 Nobel Prizes by Caltech alumni and faculty in less than 30 years? How was this possible for such a small size institution in such a short amount of time? In my observation, these results are due to vision, a vision for excellence. This vision succeeded because of the perfect resonance between both the leadership and students. The leaders labored with pride to produce the best students and best science. The students accepted the extremely hard-core training in physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology.

Now, it is your turn, members of GIST class of 2014. You are making your own fantastically creative history. Have a vision for yourselves and GIST. I believe in you that you can create remarkable history beyond your imagination. I never imagined that I would become a faculty member or experience the joy of creating new research paradigms at Berkeley or the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zürich. You are better equipped than I am, so I have a confidence in you.

Caltech made remarkable history through the visions of many ambitious students. One does not only create history for oneself. Indeed you are also creating the history of your institution. Yes, your vision is the key to the level of creativity that will build a high reputation for yourselves and your alma mater.

Without a vision, there is no life: you will perish. When you class of 2014, work among one another, encourage each other and cumulate your actions in creativities even in small scale, then those faithful networks of high standard research activities will build snowball effects. I do hope to see this fantastic miracle within three decades. Well, this is my vision for you, but you might outdo this challenge and show me this miracle even sooner. Then, I will be rewarded, right?

I for Insight in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Develop insight to make an impact on society.

You have been well trained to solve well-defined problems that you can find in science textbooks. However, you are now facing a challenging situation that you have to solve real world problems, which are not so well defined (“ill-defined”). All new innovative research topics and real world problems are not from the textbook. Then, how to deal with ill-defined problems from now on? You will no longer get any special tutor. You must solve them by yourself.

In my case, I usually receive insight while reading literature or enjoying arts. An example of mine is when I was reading a poem by William Blake, recently introduced to me by my best friend. A part of the poem goes as is:

To see a world in a grain of sand

And a heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

His prophetic poems are inspiring me and gave me the insight to create new nanoscience and innovative solutions for nanomedicine. I told my friend that I could spend the remainder of my research career learning from grains of sands, insignificant small things, to create significant impact on medicine. Among his many wonderful prophetic poems, “Auguries of Innocence” gave me insight for nanomedicine while his poem “Jerusalem” teaches us about the destruction of nature and human relationships due to industrialization. His poems provide me not only with insights, but also with energy to accomplish creativity.

After college, you have to deal with “ill-defined problems” in this real world instead of “well-defined problems” in the textbooks. However, fear not the unsolved problems. Instead, enjoy developing your insight for creativity and allow yourself hours to read many different books including poems and novels for insightful life. If you increase from your insights, then you will build greater reserves to find creative solutions for ill-defined problems in the world.

T for Transform in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Learn how to transform hopeless ideas into innovation, innovation to publication, and publication to real creative works.

Yes, so many people have touched my heart and transformed me, but Michael Faraday is the one who influenced me the most as the role model of a scientist. Whenever I struggle with my own desires, jealousies and late boomer’s syndrome, I try to reflect on his purpose of life, path of life, and modesty of life. When I align with his modest life, it is I who gains insight. I acquire his humility and gain energy, which transforms hopelessness to hopefulness. Since you are scientists, you can test to see if you get energy when you choose to resonate with works or people that interest you. Change your resonance frequency in respect to others to transform and gain inspiration. Of course in the case of fundamental issues, do not to compromise your value system; you should hold onto your ethical values.

I would like to share with you a great quote from Michael Faraday when he was asked what the secret to his success as a scientist was: “The secret is comprised in three words: Work, Finish, Publish.” No wonder why he is one of the most accomplished scientists. Not only was he teachable of heart but also he was also productive. Yes, learn how to enjoy hard work, finish well, and communicate your discovery by publishing it. Until late thirties, I used to think that publishing papers were useless since they do nothing but get stored in the library. However, I realized these papers are actually a foundational structure in science and society. Publications perpetually transform the organization of critical thinking and logical planning in research, which is necessary so that science remains cutting edge. Thus I resonate with the comment of George Whitesides: “If your research does not generate paper, it might just as well not have been done. “Interesting and unpublished” is equivalent to “non-existent.” Yes, you and I should enjoy publishing to cherish instead of publishing to perish.

Three components of transformation are essential in creativity: First, you need to transform your creative ideas into repeatable experiments or designs. Second, transform repeatable results into publication. Third, you must transform your publication into a coherent work, useful, and comprehensible to real systems for society. When you prepare your paper, do not expect others to immediately understand your logic. Do not complain that everyone is stupid since they do not understand your paper. Even though you are so smart, it is first your responsibility to transform your ideas into a convincing and relevant paper.

Build discernment on effective transformation. Without discernment, idea or vision can dissolve to bubbles before reaching the end. But remember, failures in experiments are productive. There is success to be had when you learn to transform failures into a work of creativity. Actually, you will feel the exhilaration of employing wisdom to transform useless ideas into innovation. Remember if you are truly a creative person, then you will enjoy your life by encouraging others instead of ruthlessly competing. None of you lack in opportunities for creativity. There are an infinite number of ideas in need of transformation into publications. Yes, transform mere ideas into real creative works. These works will be used to transform our society.

Y for Youthful mind in C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Youthful-questioning allows a mind to enjoy curiosity and creativity.

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, and the creativity you bring to your life and to the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age” as Sophia Loren said. A youthful mind is an immune system that cleans out the mental toxicity of psychological disability. It is the energy, which inspires curiosity, perception, discernments, and creativity.

To find the truth as well as creating real science instead of mixing false dogma, you and I need to have a mind unafraid to ask question. Otherwise, we will become victims to false scientific or religious leaders. As a personal example, I used to blindly believe in the “central dogma” of molecular biology and considered it the truth. So whenever I see contradicting results from my own PhDs students on certain gene regulations, I would think that he/she was making consistently making mistakes. It was only after a few years later that I set out to repeat the experiment.

Alas, I was so shocked that there was no real experiment to actually support the science behind the “central dogma.” Crick published his dogma without real experiments, putting his article in Nature and essentially brainwashing future scientists to blindly follow his words. The word dogma means faith, so I guess he wanted to lead us with the faith of his central dogma. It took me more than 30 years to question the basis of molecular biology.

While you must all respect your elders and appreciate their experience, never never believe in the wrong dogma. Always remember to question and challenge to find the truth. Instead of disguising pains for holding compromised dogma, enjoy to create a “nova” biology or quantum biology and to explore living cells to discover the truth of nature.

Even respectable Linus Pauling had his own dogma, so he quenched the light of Daniel Shechtman’s critical observation of crystal for more than 30 years. Yes, youthful and questioning mind will challenge to reveal the truth and create real science and technology.

That is the C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y that I wanted to share with you. At this critical moment of your life, you are about to pierce through the shell, transcend the physical and mental boundaries of college, and ascend to the sky, ready to fly like eagles. As you navigate this complex world where you will have to solve “ill-defined” problems, I hope you will remember that you have creativity in you and key words of C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y: Courage, Resilience, Enthusiasm, Action, Teachable-heart, Imagination, Vision, Innovation, Transformation, and Youthful-mind.

I want to close with a story about the many doubts I had about myself at your age since I had failed to finish college. Ever since I set foot in America, I had my eye set on a school I would dream of getting in. This university was heaven for the science and engineering, much like the GIST. Unfortunately, my acceptance into this school was not meant to be. I had an inferiority complex, believing I was not as good as those who graduated from that school. Until I cleaned out these mental residues that I had accumulated, I could not enjoy the pure, radiant creativity within me due to the tarnish of always thinking that I was not good enough.

While I was reading an old book describing how humans were created in the image of the creator, I realized this meant that humans must also possess creativity. I did not believe this old story and because of this, I inadvertently rejected all the obvious evidence pointing to the truth. How could I refute the existence of creativity, exhibited in the very phenomenon of the human race or the many glorious accomplishments of mankind, which are manifest all around me?! It dawned on me that this story was true. In the creator’s image, humans were intended for creativity. Therefore, I myself must also possess beautiful creativity. Once I realized that I have the image of the most creative God in me, my life has completely changed and is transformed. That is why I am here with all you graduates today, sharing my life, my fears and my words from years of experience.

I do not expect you to remember my commencement speech, but I wish you to remember that you have creativity in you. It is a matter of your decision to cultivate the creativity for yourself and others.

Indeed, you are blessed! Enjoy the creativity in you. Exercise it to keep it healthy. Train it in preparation for the moment when you are called to create innovative solutions to complex problems in the real world. This is your responsibility: to contribute with courage and willingness for the betterment of the world, since you have been bestowed with the invaluable gift of creativity.

I will end with my favorite poetic and prophetic statement of Michael Faraday: “I am no poet, but if you think for yourselves, as I proceed, the facts will form a poem in your minds.”

Thank you.