William A. Summers
Why did you choose Northwestern?
I chose Northwestern based on the recommendation of my undergraduate adviser at Wabash College, Paul McKinney also a Norhtwestern PhD alum.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience? What was it then and/or what it is now?
Dr. Letsinger developed a method for building polynucleotides as part of the early interest in developing gene segments.
Tell us who or what inspired your research and/or work.
Dr. Letsinger's group was in collaboration with several other groups around the world seeking the means to create individual purine or pyridine nucleotides which could then be inserted into isolated genes from real organisms. These were the first basic steps toward the development of the most recent development in gene therapy developed by Catherine Doudna the Nobel Prize winner last year.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
I completed my degree and took the skills and methods I learned in Dr. Letsinger's group and went onto a career of process development in the chemical industry.
Tell us about a current achievement or something you're working on that excites you.
In retirement and living with my wife and lab-retriever mix (Daisy), my interests have shifted to photography and staying healthy. Iowa is rich in lepidopteran species and we have daily visitors to our gardens in the warmer months.
What advice would you give your younger self or someone considering a similar path?
Chemistry has such a great influence on all our lives that studying chemistry can lead to a great carer in discovering new compounds or materials that make life, health, and prosperity of our peoples and planet.