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Donald Cram Quotes

An investigator starts research in a new field with faith, a foggy idea, and a few wild experiments. Eventually the interplay of negative and positive results guides the work. By the time the research is completed, he

An investigator starts research in a new field with faith, a foggy idea, and a few wild experiments. Eventually the interplay of negative and positive results guides the work. By the time the research is completed, he or she knows how it should have been started and conducted.

Donald Cram
Fog, Should Have, Ideas
Donald J Cram, Jane M Cram (2007). “Container Molecules and Their Guests”, p.1, Royal Society of Chemistry

We usually don't have applications in mind. They come later.

Donald Cram
Mind, Application

Few scientists acquainted with the chemistry of biological systems at the molecular level can avoid being inspired.

Donald Cram
Levels, Chemistry, Inspired
Donald J. Cram (1990). “From Design to Discover :”, Amer Chemical Society

To retain my fascination with chemistry, I have had to change my research fields about every 10 years.

Donald Cram
Change, Years, Fascination

I have always felt that I understood a phenomenon only to the extent that I could visualise it. Much of the charm organic chemical research has for me derives from structural formulae. When reading chemical journals, I look for formulae first.

Donald Cram
Reading, Firsts, Looks
Donald J. Cram (1990). “From Design to Discover :”, Amer Chemical Society

This is largely the methodology I've used throughout my career - that is, starting with a question as to what might be the properties of a set of compounds that could be invented which were unusual and unpredictable. Many times I've felt a bit like Columbus setting sail.

Donald Cram
Inspirational, Funny, Careers

By the time I entered college, I had decided not to have children, a decision that was never regretted. Accordingly, I was careful to court only girls who wanted to have professional careers.

Donald Cram
Girl, Children, College

Any chemist reading this book can see, in some detail, how I have spent most of my mature life. They can become familiar with the quality of my mind and imagination. They can make judgements about my research abilities. They can tell how well I have documented my claims of experimental results. Any scientist can redo my experiments to see if they still work-and this has happened! I know of no other field in which contributions to world culture are so clearly on exhibit, so cumulative, and so subject to verification.

Donald Cram
Reading, Book, Science

Few scientists acquainted with the chemistry of biological systems at the molecular level can avoid being inspired. Evolution has produced chemical compounds exquisitely organized to accomplish the most complicated and delicate of tasks. Many organic chemists viewing crystal structures of enzyme systems or nucleic acids and knowing the marvels of specificity of the immune systems must dream of designing and synthesizing simpler organic compounds that imitate working features of these naturally occurring compounds.

Donald Cram
Dream, Science, Knowing

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