Larry Meiller and University of Wisconsin-Madison Chemistry Professor Bassam Shakhashiri discuss the triumphs and failures of the Wisconsin Idea in the area of science. Plus, the legacy of a distinguished chemistry alumnus of the University of Wisconsin who recently passed away.
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The Life And Legacy Of UW Alumnus Carl Djerassi
With a world-class university system in Wisconsin, it’s no wonder that many alumni go on to make significant contributions in their fields. One University of Wisconsin-Madison alumnus who did just that was Carl Djerassi.
Djerassi was a renowned organic chemist, who was perhaps best-known for his research that contributed to the development of the oral contraceptive commonly known as “the pill.” He died earlier this year at age 91.
Bassam Shakhashiri, a professor of chemistry at UW-Madison and a past president of the American Chemical Society, said that Djerassi was remarkable both as a student and as a professional.
“He completed the Ph.D. in chemistry in less than 2 1/2 years. No one else has even come close to breaking that record. It’s a remarkable achievement,” Shakhashiri said.
From graduate school at UW, Djerassi went on to work in industry and make his mark as an organic chemist. His research was instrumental in bringing many familiar medicines to market: In fact, he held the first patent for an antihistamine.
Djerassi has been called the father of the modern birth control pill — a description that isn’t entirely accurate, since he never actually produced the contraceptive. Rather, his research served as the foundation for others as they developed and produced the pill.
Shakhashiri said that in the late 1950s, the UW Chemistry Department hoped to lure him back to the state, but was unsuccessful. One of the professors at UW who was negotiating for Djerassi’s return was William Johnson. When he left UW for Stanford University in 1960, Johnson convinced Djerassi to go there instead.
“That was the beginning of what we now know as a great chemistry department at Stanford University. It’s a fabulous program there, and it started with two Wisconsin people. And a third Wisconsinite, Gene Van Tamelen, followed in 1962,” Shakhashiri said.
While Djerassi stood out as an accomplished chemist, he was also a Renaissance man. Shakhashiri said that when Djerassi was in his 60s, the scientist closed down his lab and devoted himself to more creative pursuits. He wrote plays, poetry and other works of fiction. Four of his books were published by the University of Wisconsin Press. He also founded an artists’ colony to support the work of not only writers, but musicians, choreographers and other artists as well.
“I’m very proud of this connection that Djerassi had to UW-Madison. He had a profound influence on the lives of people around the world. Just think of what the world would be like if Carl Djerassi had not done what he did 60 years ago. It would be a much different world everywhere,” Shakhashiri said.
For more details about his life and work, read the New York Times obituary for Djerassi.
Episode Credits
- Larry Meiller Host
- Judith Siers-Poisson Producer
- Bassam Shakhashiri Guest
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