From Setbacks to Breakthroughs: Nobel Chemists on Overcoming Failure
At an American Chemical Society spring meeting, three chemistry Nobel laureates—Jennifer Doudna, David MacMillan, and Omar Yaghi—shared how early-career setbacks shaped their paths to discovery: Yaghi persisted through a year’s failures on a de-coordination reaction before a breakthrough crystal material finally formed; Doudna, who struggled in introductory chemistry, found her passion after discovering RNA-world research and switching focus; MacMillan moved from physics to organic chemistry, ultimately pursuing catalysis that could be performed on a standard lab bench, democratizing the field. Their stories emphasize perseverance, mentorship, collaboration, and aligning work with real-world problems.
