Welcome to the Frances Arnold Hub! This community hub — built on top of and serving as a companion to the Wikipedia article — lets you discuss, collect, and organize everything related to Frances Arnold.
Frances Arnold assumed office as an external co-chair of President Joe Biden's
Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), serving alongside Maria
Zuber and Francis Collins. This marked her involvement in advising the US
government on scientific matters.
A paper published in Science in 2019, with Inha Cho and Zhi-Jun Jia, was
retracted on January 2, 2020, as the results were found to be not reproducible.
This was a setback for her research but did not diminish her overall
contributions.
Frances Hamilton Arnold was born in Edgewood, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Even from a young age, she displayed a strong independent spirit, setting the stage for her future unconventional approach to science.
Early Environmental Activism
1970s
Demonstrating a proactive nature, Arnold hitchhiked across the US and worked in a pizza parlor to fund her independent endeavors. She also engaged in protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear power, demonstrating her early commitment to social and environmental issues which would later influence her scientific pursuits.
B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
1979
Arnold earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University. This diverse engineering background provided her with a unique perspective that would prove invaluable when she later ventured into the field of chemical engineering and biochemistry.
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
1985
Frances Arnold obtained her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Her doctoral research focused on heterogeneous catalysis, laying the groundwork for her future explorations in enzyme engineering and biocatalysis. This was a pivotal moment, leading her to a field where she would truly excel.
Joins Caltech Faculty
1986
Arnold joined the faculty at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as an assistant professor. This marked the beginning of her long and impactful career at Caltech, where she would conduct groundbreaking research and mentor generations of scientists.
Pioneering Directed Evolution of Enzymes
1993
Arnold published her seminal paper demonstrating the directed evolution of enzymes. This revolutionary method allowed scientists to engineer enzymes with specific, desired properties by mimicking natural selection in the lab. It provided an alternative to rational design and opened new avenues for biocatalysis and sustainable chemistry.
Named Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at Caltech
1999
This endowed professorship recognized Arnold's exceptional contributions to her field and provided her with further resources to advance her research. It was a testament to her leadership and influence within the scientific community.
Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
2013
Arnold was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for her pioneering work on directed evolution of enzymes. This prestigious honor recognized the significant impact of her inventions on society and her contributions to the field of biotechnology.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
2018
Frances Arnold was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, sharing the prize with George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter. She was only the fifth woman to receive the Chemistry Nobel Prize, and the first American woman. The award recognized her groundbreaking work on the directed evolution of enzymes, which has revolutionized fields from drug discovery to biofuels.
Continuing Research and Advocacy
Present
Frances Arnold continues her research at Caltech, pushing the boundaries of enzyme engineering and sustainable chemistry. She remains an active advocate for women in STEM and a champion for environmentally responsible technologies. Her work continues to inspire scientists around the world to pursue innovative solutions to global challenges.
Brief
Known For
Pioneering directed evolution of enzymes.
Key Dates and Places
Born Date: July 25, 1956.
Born Place: Edgewood, Pennsylvania, USA.
Career
Current occupation: Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Past occupations: Solar Energy Research Institute (now National Renewable Energy Laboratory), researcher in developing countries.
Current Place of Work: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, California.
Previous Place of Work: Solar Energy Research Institute (now National Renewable Energy Laboratory).
Achievements and Recognition
Awards: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2018), Charles Stark Draper Prize (2018), Millennium Technology Prize (2016), National Medal of Technology and Innovation (2011), ENI award in Renewable Energy (2013), Elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2000), Elected to the National Academy of Sciences (2008), Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011), Elected to the American Philosophical Society (2019), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Honorary Doctorate from ETH Zurich (2015), Honorary Doctorate from Dartmouth College (2018), Honorary Doctorate from Stockholm University (2019), Honorary Doctorate from the University of Minnesota (2024).
Wikipedia Article
Welcome to the Frances Arnold Hub! This community hub — built on top of and serving as a companion to the Wikipedia article — lets you discuss, collect, and organize everything related to Frances Arnold.
Frances Arnold assumed office as an external co-chair of President Joe Biden's
Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), serving alongside Maria
Zuber and Francis Collins. This marked her involvement in advising the US
government on scientific matters.
A paper published in Science in 2019, with Inha Cho and Zhi-Jun Jia, was
retracted on January 2, 2020, as the results were found to be not reproducible.
This was a setback for her research but did not diminish her overall
contributions.
Frances Hamilton Arnold was born in Edgewood, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Even from a young age, she displayed a strong independent spirit, setting the stage for her future unconventional approach to science.
Early Environmental Activism
1970s
Demonstrating a proactive nature, Arnold hitchhiked across the US and worked in a pizza parlor to fund her independent endeavors. She also engaged in protests against the Vietnam War and nuclear power, demonstrating her early commitment to social and environmental issues which would later influence her scientific pursuits.
B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
1979
Arnold earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University. This diverse engineering background provided her with a unique perspective that would prove invaluable when she later ventured into the field of chemical engineering and biochemistry.
Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
1985
Frances Arnold obtained her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Her doctoral research focused on heterogeneous catalysis, laying the groundwork for her future explorations in enzyme engineering and biocatalysis. This was a pivotal moment, leading her to a field where she would truly excel.
Joins Caltech Faculty
1986
Arnold joined the faculty at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as an assistant professor. This marked the beginning of her long and impactful career at Caltech, where she would conduct groundbreaking research and mentor generations of scientists.
Pioneering Directed Evolution of Enzymes
1993
Arnold published her seminal paper demonstrating the directed evolution of enzymes. This revolutionary method allowed scientists to engineer enzymes with specific, desired properties by mimicking natural selection in the lab. It provided an alternative to rational design and opened new avenues for biocatalysis and sustainable chemistry.
Named Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at Caltech
1999
This endowed professorship recognized Arnold's exceptional contributions to her field and provided her with further resources to advance her research. It was a testament to her leadership and influence within the scientific community.
Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
2013
Arnold was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for her pioneering work on directed evolution of enzymes. This prestigious honor recognized the significant impact of her inventions on society and her contributions to the field of biotechnology.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
2018
Frances Arnold was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, sharing the prize with George P. Smith and Sir Gregory P. Winter. She was only the fifth woman to receive the Chemistry Nobel Prize, and the first American woman. The award recognized her groundbreaking work on the directed evolution of enzymes, which has revolutionized fields from drug discovery to biofuels.
Continuing Research and Advocacy
Present
Frances Arnold continues her research at Caltech, pushing the boundaries of enzyme engineering and sustainable chemistry. She remains an active advocate for women in STEM and a champion for environmentally responsible technologies. Her work continues to inspire scientists around the world to pursue innovative solutions to global challenges.
Brief
Known For
Pioneering directed evolution of enzymes.
Key Dates and Places
Born Date: July 25, 1956.
Born Place: Edgewood, Pennsylvania, USA.
Career
Current occupation: Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering and Biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
Past occupations: Solar Energy Research Institute (now National Renewable Energy Laboratory), researcher in developing countries.
Current Place of Work: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, California.
Previous Place of Work: Solar Energy Research Institute (now National Renewable Energy Laboratory).
Achievements and Recognition
Awards: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2018), Charles Stark Draper Prize (2018), Millennium Technology Prize (2016), National Medal of Technology and Innovation (2011), ENI award in Renewable Energy (2013), Elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2000), Elected to the National Academy of Sciences (2008), Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011), Elected to the American Philosophical Society (2019), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Honorary Doctorate from ETH Zurich (2015), Honorary Doctorate from Dartmouth College (2018), Honorary Doctorate from Stockholm University (2019), Honorary Doctorate from the University of Minnesota (2024).
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