From curiosity to change: How discovery science transforms our world

Join the University of Melbourne for a panel discussion on 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 or obscure. Yet history shows that curiosity-driven research transforms our understanding of the world and the way we live.

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.

This Science at Melbourne Conversation is part of the Faculty of Science's Science at Melbourne Festival. For more information about other events held during the festival, visit https://festival.science.unimelb.edu.au/.