I have a confession to make.
Before I read the article I said,"I bet the kid is Asian"
I'm still stereotyping.
IMO, you're referencing a work ethic without intentionally doing so. At the present time some Asians seem to put their noses to the grind-stone as well as anyone on the planet. The results speak for themselves.
Einstine, Hawkings, other brilliant minds pop up here and there and will continue to do so.
I am inspired by the savant mind at times. Some of those people are very gifted in narrowly focused areas. I sometimes wonder if we haven't ignored what might be an incredible resource if channeled properly.