Prof David Paterson, the associate head of the Oxford University Medical Sciences Division, has urged University of Otago graduates to be passionate about what they do, and strive to make a difference.
Prof Paterson told the graduates attending a 4pm graduation ceremony on Saturday, that he had graduated from Otago himself, with a qualification in physical education, before leaving New Zealand 32 years ago.
He urged the 330 graduates in science and biomedical science to "go out and make a difference" when they went out into the world after the ceremony at the Regent Theatre, Dunedin.
These days, in his role at Oxford University, England, he gave the first lecture each year to medical and biomedical science students and mentioned "Sutton's Law".
This broadly stated, when doing an investigation, to "always focus on the obvious first".
Prof Paterson explained that "Sutton's Law" was, in fact, a reference to Willie Sutton, who had been a "famous American bank robber" in the 1930s and on the FBI's most wanted list.
Sutton had not been a man of violence and had carried out 100 bank robberies over several decades, but his machinegun was never loaded.
He had told reporters that he had robbed banks "because that's where the money is".
Prof Paterson reflected he had been a boy from South Canterbury who had then gone to Otago Boys' High School.
His generation was often the first generation to go to university, "not because our parents or grandparents did not have the aspiration" or ability but because they had lived through two world wars and the Great Depression and had not had the opportunity that successive generations had had.
"But their sacrifice is reflected in you, and in the immense pleasure they would get by seeing you today."
In an earlier graduation address, at 1pm, another Otago graduate, Suzie Muirhead, had reflected on the challenges and opportunities of leadership.
Ms Muirhead, who retired from the New Zealand women's hockey team in 2006 after gaining a record 238 caps, now owns her own management consulting firm in Wellington.
She recalled being "so scared of the senior players" when she had first become a young player in the Black Sticks.
"There was one player who was intense and made it pretty plainly clear when you made a mistake or were doing the wrong thing.
"She became captain and I was made to room with her.
"I think I was too afraid to sleep, especially since she sleeptalked ... or should I say,continued to yell instructions at everyone even though she was asleep."
After Ms Muirhead had become a senior player in the team she had vowed to break down the hierarchical senior/junior traditions and "treat the young players with equal respect for their ability".
"It made us a better team because they had the confidence to play with freedom."
She was addressing more than 260 graduates, including in applied science and consumer and applied sciences, at the Regent Theatre.
Prof Paterson, who was a noted 400m runner when he lived in Dunedin, and MsMuirhead were also among six new inductees to the Otago University School of Physical Education's Wall of Fame on Friday.