Last night I attended the CATA Innovation Awards Gala. While the guests at my table were fun and the award winners stellar, I have to say that what held me in awe was the keynote presentation by Dr. Ron Warton.
Dr. Warton, a world reknowned scientist and leader in the field of molecular medicine, lead us through an overview of the ground breaking research being done at the Ottawa Health Research Institute (OHRI). Here is one of the world leaders in this field quietly making his mark on the world from our own back yard.
What struck me as awesome was Dr. Warton's ability to take the most complex topics (cancer therapeutics, stem cell research, molecular medicine) and put them in to a language that even us laymen could not only understand, but get passionate about.
Anyone who can explain new cancer therapies that kill bad cells while not harming good cells, or can explain how NEWTs (yes NEWTs, those tiny salamander little creatures) are being used to discover the gene in humans that can reproduce limbs, gets my vote for articulating their value proposition in a clear and compelling way.
If a scientist (mind you a world class one) can manage to captivate an audience of 300+ at 9pm on a Tuesday night after wine, food, and rich dessert, surely the rest of us can make our own stories a bit more engaging to our audiences by asking ourselves "So What? Who Cares? Why You".
Thanks Dr. Warton for showing us world class research and technology in a language we could all understand and appreciate!
No doubt there are many more jewels like this hidden around Ottawa. I look forward to finding them.
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