Frances Arnold

Chemistry American 1956 425 quotes

She was awarded the Nobel Prize for her work on directed evolution, creating new enzymes.

Most quoted

"I tell my students, 'If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough.' And then I tell them, 'But don't fail *too* much, because then you won't get a grant.'"

— from Interview/Talk

"The beauty of directed evolution is that it doesn't require us to understand everything about biology. It just requires us to be good at setting up experiments."

— from Scientific American interview

"The most beautiful, complex, and functional objects on the planet have been made by evolution. We can use it to make things that no human knows how to design."

— from Speech

All quotes by Frances Arnold (425)

There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with outcomes you didn’t anticipate.

Lab rule

The goal is to do chemistry the way biology does it: sustainably, efficiently, and elegantly.

Speech

Be bold. The world needs bold ideas.

Commencement speech

We can program cells to produce medicines, materials, and energy.

Speech

Science is a journey into the unknown. Enjoy the ride.

Advice