Morgridge Book

“Science is about what we do not know; that is often not appreciated. The exciting aspect of science is about forging in new directions and discovering things that had not been imagined. One of the most important and exciting things we can obtain in our experiments is a result that is a complete surprise. “The Morgridges are bringing optimism to science through their support — that’s infectious, and that’s something that scientists need in their own practice. We talk about science as the pursuit of the unknown; science as standing at the edge of our knowledge and casting into the surrounding darkness. It takes considerable fortitude and strength and gumption to keep moving forward in those situations, so one needs to have emotional as well as intellectual strength to pursue those endeavors. Optimism and tenaciousness are some of the most important qualities in science.”

Paul Ahlquist PhD’81 Professor of Oncology, Molecular Virology, and Plant Pathology Director of the John W. and Jeanne M. Rowe Center for Research in Virology Member, U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Wisconsin Historical Society WHS65874