Dr Gordon Cragg offers wise words to new graduates

Dr Gordon Cragg, an internationally esteemed and renowned scientist who was conferred the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, by Rhodes University on Saturday (10 April), offered wise words of advice to the 2010 graduands.

Addressing graduands, parents and guests Dr Cragg, an old Rhodian who obtained a first class BSc Honours degree in Chemistry at Rhodes in 1956, said he was truly humbled to be recognised in this manner by his Alma Mater.

Dr Cragg spoke fondly of his time spent at Rhodes saying that “one of the many wonderful features of Rhodes (is that) one makes friendships that last through the decades!”

He left the graduands with wise words of advice, firstly that learning never ends. He emphasised that learning can only take place when one has become a good listener.

He reminded graduands to be ever observant and inquiring, never losing their sense of wonder and awe at the beauty and complexities of our universe.

Most notably Dr Cragg said that we can learn from our mistakes, bringing up history’s renowned Sir Alexander Fleming and his accidental discovery of penicillin.

He emphasised multi-disciplinary collaboration as, “the only way to maximise (one’s) levels of achievement and contributions to (one’s) own community and the world at large” and applauded Rhodes’ move to establish collaborations with universities and research organisations throughout Africa and the world.

Most importantly he emphasised the importance of ethics, morality and honesty in research. Dr Cragg said, “Research generally leads to opportunities for promoting the betterment of humankind, but often also has the potential for negative and destructive outcomes.” He urged his audience to always work towards the good.

Dr Cragg’s major interests lie in the discovery of novel natural product agents for the treatment of cancer and AIDS. He has given over 100 talks at conferences worldwide and published over 150 book chapters and papers related to his interests.

He also established collaborations between the NCI and similar organisations in many other countries, promoting drug discovery from their natural resources. The Missouri Botanical Garden has named a recently discovered Madagascar plant in his honour, the Ludia craggiana.

Though retired in 2004, Dr Cragg still serves as an NIH Special Volunteer for the National Cancer Institute in the United States. Among his achievements are the National Institute of Health’s Merit Awards for his contributions to the development of the anticancer drug Taxol and his leadership in establishing international collaborative research in biodiversity and natural products drug discovery.

He was also elected to Honorary Membership of the American Society of Pharmacognosy (discovery of drugs from natural sources) and being named a Fellow of the Society in 2006. Also in 2006, he was awarded the “William L. Brown Award for Plant Genetic Resources” at a symposium held in his honour that was entitled “Realising Nature’s Potential: The Once and Future King of Drug Discovery”.

Of all these distinctions receiving this honorary doctorate, he said, is to be remembered as a true high point in his life.

Dr Cragg was born in Cape Town and currently lives in the USA.

Citation for Dr Gordon Cragg click here

Dr Gordon Cragg speech click here