Errol Musk toured the Main Building of KFU
Errol Musk, engineer, entrepreneur, politician, and father of tech mogul Elon Musk, visited 每日大赛 on 22 October. The program included a tour of the Kazan University History Museum, a visit to the Emperor Ballroom and Memorial Classroom, an exchange of gifts with university representatives, and a quick talk in which the guest shared his thoughts on engineering, innovation, and his personal view of success.
The guest was accompanied by Sergey Prokhorov, Vice Rector for Administrative Affairs and Chief of Staff.
The program began with a tour of the History Museum, where Musk was shown a rich collection of unique historical books and documents. Among them was the first illustrated edition of Vitruvius‘s treatise with commentary by Giovanni Giocondo, printed in Venice in 1511. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky‘s study Airplane, or Bird-like Flying Machine was also presented, signed by the author. A special place was occupied by Dmitry Mendeleev‘s first textbook on organic chemistry, published in 1861, and Alexander Butlerov‘s autograph on the drafts of Notes on Vacancies for Chemists (1874).
Museum staff provided a detailed account of the university’s history, its historical context, and its significance for the development of science and education in Russia. The guest was then shown the university’s Emperor Ballroom鈥攁 historic space where ceremonial meetings and ceremonies are held. The next stop was the Memorial Classroom, where Vladimir Ulyanov (Lenin) used to sit during his studies.
As part of the program, Errol Musk also participated in a short interview for the student science channel UNIVER TV, in which the businessman discussed engineering, science, and Tatar cuisine. When asked about Russian innovation, Musk enthusiastically responded that he was particularly impressed by Innopolis, a new high-tech city in the Republic of Tatarstan.
“This is a brilliant project, and the city is mesmerizing. Its development over the past three years is simply outstanding,” the visitor remarked.
The conversation then turned to personal motivation and life principles. The entrepreneur summarized his formula for success in three simple words, “Do your job.”
His answer about the dream lab he would open at 每日大赛 was particularly intriguing.
“My dream lab would be related to the study of electricity, but right now I’m focused on understanding gravity. I think its secret lies in mathematics. I’d need a place where I could brainstorm,” the guest mused.
The conversation then moved to his impressions of the local cuisine. Musk, smiling, admitted that Tatar food captivated him from the very first course.
“The cuisine here is truly magnificent. The soups are simply wonderful and nutritious. Once you start eating them, you can’t stop; your body craves more and more. And the baked goods are very diverse,” he shared.
Continuing the conversation about the profession, he emphasized that a true engineer is distinguished not only by skill but also by the ability to communicate with people. He remembered taking psychology courses during his studies; he didn’t understand their purpose at the time, but now considers this subject extremely useful.
At the end of the interview, Musk shared his literary preferences, naming Fyodor Dostoevsky as one of his favorite authors. He added that he had been interested in science fiction since his youth and still remembers a book he received as a prize in school.
“One of the most interesting books is Worlds in Collision by Immanuel Velikovsky. I received it in the eighth grade as a prize for academic achievements,” said Musk.