Twelve foot bronze sculpture of a seated Albert Einstein holding a paper with his mathematical equations on the grounds of the National Academy of Sciences

On the outside wall of the sculpture, there is an Einstein quote, “The right to search for truth implies also a duty. One must not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be true.“

Facing Connecticut Avenue NW across the street from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and not far from the Lincoln Memorial

The Einstein quote above is obviously quite important within the US National Academy of Sciences. It also appears on the wall at the entrance of their other building in Washington, DC, The Keck Center.

What does it mean?

There is an inherent belief that science is collaborative, open and honest. If a person discovers what one believes to be a new truth, then shares that truth, the anticipation is that there will be honest and helpful feedback.

Unfortunately, today’s science culture is highly competitive and it can be elitist. It is difficult for an outsider or an unknown to get simple straightforward evaluations. And, it is easy to get labelled as idiosyncratic versus always open to learn more.

May we all always open to learn more.

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