Dartmouth College on Tuesday celebrated the awarding of this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Frances Arnold.
Arnold, known for her groundbreaking work on the evolution of enzymes, was recognized by Dartmouth with an honorary degree last year.
At the time, she delivered a powerful, personal address to graduating students at the college’s Thayer School of Engineering.
“When I was asked to speak to you on this day when you and your families will celebrate your hard work and your achievements, my first thought was to say no,” she said. “I felt, I don’t have any advice to offer, or even words of wisdom. So many things in my life have gone awry.”
She had recently lost her college-aged son unexpectedly, which she called “a profound, ongoing loss.”
She urged the graduates to build something beautiful, create something meaningful with their degrees.
“As engineers, you have a unique skill that you can use to make that world and make it better than the one you find,” she said. “You have the skills, and the responsibility to use them, not just for yourselves and your families, but for all the life we share this beautiful planet with.
Arnold is only thefifth woman in history to receive the Nobel in Chemistry.
