Welcome to our annual celebration of innovation in analytical science! Every year I can’t help but wonder whether there’ll be enough technologies worthy of our awards. And every year, I’m pleased to find that I had nothing to worry about – even amid political and economic headwinds.
I’m ever impressed by the way in which developers are able to channel creativity towards the production of useful, commercially viable products – year after year. The key to making this happen, according to Chris Lock, R&D VP at SCIEX, is to create space for dissent, risk-taking, and failure (see: The Psychology of Innovation: How to Build a Fearlessly Curious Team). And sometimes failure may be transformed, even years later, into success – that’s one of Fabrice Gritti’s key lessons learned bringing slalom chromatography back from the dead.
To make that happen, Fabrice had to step outside of his comfort zone and immerse himself in the world of DNA physics in search of fundamental understanding. And there are, of course, researchers who spend most of their time grappling with the fundamentals – whose vital contribution we must acknowledge. In our recent Sitting Down With interview, Scott McLuckey – whose work has influenced the development of commercial ion traps, for example – discusses his approach to cultivating creativity. He spends a good chunk of his time “turning over stones” – work that is likely to lead to new discoveries, even if there’s an element of serendipity involved.
“It takes all sorts,” as my grandma liked to say. So, I’d like to raise a glass to innovators of all stripes.
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