Recently, at a party in Oslo for the life sciences community, I was asked to make a few remarks, and decided to blurt out what had come into my head about the trip. Which was given what I'd grasped about the "Norwegian character," the country would likely have a growing impact on the life sciences.
What I felt exemplified the Norwegian character was independence and outspokenness: The men and women that I met all held firm views about their research, their patients, patents, the industry, the economy, the weather, where to eat and what to eat - on everything, essentially. They expressed themselves in a forceful, enthusiastic fashion without ever being confrontational. They came across as individualistic and egalitarian, and many combined high intellect with a strong streak of practicality. There was a genuine sense of community too, with researchers, CEOs and clinicians at different locations knowledgably discussing and promoting ...
