2014-03-06: Dinner Meeting with Prof. Frances Arnold

Women Chemists Committee Dinner Meeting
Thursday, March 6th 2014
Brookside Golf Club

1133 Rosemont Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103

“New Enzymes by Evolution: Expanding Genetically Encoded Chemistry”

Professor Frances Arnold
Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
California institute of Technology

Check-in: 6:00 pm
Dinner: 7:00 pm
Presentation: 8:00 pm

Biography: Dr. Frances H. Arnold is the Dick and Barbara Dickinson Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biochemistry at the California Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on directed evolution of enzymes and biosynthetic pathways, with applications to alternative energy, chemicals, and medicine. She pioneered directed evolution methods that are used in laboratories throughout the world to make products that range from medicines to foods, textiles, chemicals, and fuels. She has co-authored more than 250 publications and is co-inventor on 39 US patents.

Dr. Arnold received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Princeton University in 1979. After a year working as an engineer in solar energy research in Brazil and Colorado (at the DOE’s Solar Energy Research Institute, SERI), she enrolled as a graduate student at the University of California-Berkeley, where she earned her doctorate in chemical engineering in 1985. After postdoctoral work in biophysical chemistry at UC Berkeley and Caltech, she joined the Caltech faculty in chemical engineering in 1987.

Dr. Arnold is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Eni Prize in Renewable and Nonconventional Energy, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the Charles Stark Draper Prize of the US National Academy of Engineering. She is the first woman to have been elected to membership in all three US National Academies, of Science, Medicine, and Engineering. Dr. Arnold was also elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Among many other activities, Dr. Arnold serves on the President’s International Advisory Council of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and chairs the selection committee for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowships in Science and Engineering program.

Dr. Arnold is active in technology transfer to the private sector. She has served on the science advisory boards of numerous companies, including Genomatica, Amyris, Mascoma, Fluidigm, Codexis, and Maxygen, She co-founded Gevo, Inc. in 2005 (NASDAQ GEVO) to make fuels and chemicals from renewable resources and Provivi Labs in 2013.

Frances Arnold has three sons. James Bailey is currently serving as a medevac crew chief in the US Army. William and Joseph Lange attend La Canada High School.

Reservations: There will be a chicken buffet dinner. The cost is $39 including tax, tip, and wine with dinner; cash or check at the door. Please call Nancy Paradiso in the Section Office at 310 327-1216 or email office-at-scalacs-dot-org by Friday, February 28, 2014 for reservations.

Directions: Go to the Brookside Golf Course website at http://www.brooksidegc.com/ and click on the directions link in the top right corner. It will take you to Google Maps.