If we are open to learning lessons from anyone and everyone in all situations, we will be the better for it. That's what shapes you. That's what molds you. And I would attribute all of that to how I was shaped and who I am today.
— Sethuraman Panchanathan
I had the pleasure of interviewing the Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan, a computer scientist and engineer, and the 15th director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Panchanathan (also known as Panch) was nominated to this position by the president of the United States in 2019 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2020.
I didn't ask him any questions about science. Instead, we discussed his low points and struggles, and how they have shaped him and brought him to where he is today.
I’m joined by 10-year-old Mithra Mantha, a science enthusiast from Pleasanton Unified School District in the SF Bay Area. Mithra wanted to ask Dr. Panch a few science-related questions that are relevant to students his age.
Show Notes
00:56 Intro
02:47 How Panch succeeded while staying nice, kind and soft-spoken
07:02 How Panch navigated his low points
16:49 Is struggle a necessary ingredient to success?
20:30 How Panch navigated complex situations in his career
32:30 Panch’s advice to those struggling to find success
36:41 Why a lot of cricketers who hit 90 runs get out before reaching 100
38:10 How to leverage the best thinking in a room with smart people
45:54 How Panch brought change when he joined the NSF
49:31 How to get people with different views on the same page?
52:16: Mithra asks how to get children interested in science?
55:36: Mithra asks for time management and study tips
57:35: How Panch maintains work life balance despite a busy job
More Sethuraman Panchanathan quotes from the interview
"If we are open to learning lessons from anyone and everyone in all situations, we will be the better for it. That's what shapes you. That's what molds you. And I would attribute all of that to how I was shaped and who I am today."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Never give up. Never, never give up."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Sometimes, we tend to take complex situations and find that there's only one way of handling it. I have found that if you give yourself the time and the space, and sometimes even talking to somebody who you trust, you might find better and more elegant ways of doing it."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Don't compare yourself, but see how you can supplement and complement."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Set a bold vision, a vision that, you know, is inspiring, and hopefully, through that, contributing to the well-being of society and humanity."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Time management is about prioritizing. We have a lot of things that you can do, but you need to prioritize among those things. What are the most important things that you need to do so that you can spend the time on the things that matter and the things that can have the greatest impact?"
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"It's not about you. It's about the task at hand. Always focus on excellence, hard work, and take your work seriously."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Through struggle comes unbelievable outcomes, and you also enjoy the fact that you did work for it and obtained it."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"As much as possible, don't try to react. But respond. Reaction is only for real dangerous situations. But in those situations where you have time to process, internalize, and think about it, bring yourself fully to the solution."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"If you have a set of goals that you have in mind that you want to accomplish for the benefit of society, humanity, or your organization, and you couple that with passion, hard work, and excellence, then people skills become the secret sauce on top of that."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"Make sure that you are working with people, you respect them, you honor them, you cherish them. Help them achieve their goals, their objectives, and in turn, they will help you."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"If you feel the resentment, try to let it go. The moment you hold on to something, you just can't operate. It consumes you."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
"The moment you point a finger at somebody, there are three fingers pointing back at you. Focus on the three fingers pointing at you, ask yourself what you can do better."
– Sethuraman Panchanathan
