Writing about motivation fueled by scientific accomplishments

Astronaut Ron Garan has written, in his essay The Importance of Returning to the Moon:

Our children are our best investment for the future, and our space program is a tremendous motivator. Our Nation has seen a steady decline in the number of students studying math and science. The space program can help turn this trend around. I can personally attest to the ability of the space program to encourage students based on the fact that I enrolled in math and science courses and began the pursuit of an engineering degree the day after the first space shuttle mission landed. The creation of a permanent lunar base will inspire millions of young people toward higher education and help maintain our Nation’s technological leadership.

Write a story about a character who becomes motivated by a specific scientific accomplishment and, upon finishing university, gets headhunted for an important position only to discover that there is more to the situation than your character first thought.