“I never suffered from that delusion, that conformity was the way to live. I always liked to explore the bleeding edges, and to me then, it’s the nonconformity that really leads to big advances.”
Frances Arnold pioneered the use of directed evolution to create novel enzymes, became a globally recognised chemical engineer, and in 2018 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Throughout her journey she pushed boundaries, experimented, evolved. She wasn’t afraid to take on the biggest challenges and this is something she passes down to her students.
Growing up, Arnold always wanted control of her life. She left home at 15, took on numerous jobs, but also studied hard. Her path wasn’t always clear to her and initially she studied engineering because of its fewer requirements. Biochemistry came along later, when at Princeton she discovered the beauty of the biological world and her desire to engineer it.
When she subsequently went to Caltech, Arnold set her sights on exploring evolution in biological systems and molecules. Her determination, perseverance, and ability to push the boundaries of what might be possible ultimately led to her winning the Nobel Prize 30 years later.
As a teacher and mentor, Arnold instils in her students a passion for daring exploration. As someone whose work centred around evolution, perhaps unsurprisingly Arnold also emphasises the importance of our own evolution as people. To keep learning. To adapt. Evolve.
Embrace the experiences that life throws at you and don’t conform to what you think is expected. You take control of your life. You choose the path.
