The Path of an Industrial Powder Small-Molecule Crystallographer

TL;DR

This talk explores the history and personal journey of a crystallographer in the field of powder diffraction, highlighting key developments and relationships.

Contribution

The paper provides a personal and historical perspective on the evolution of powder crystallography in an industrial context.

Findings

The author's career intersected with major hardware, software, and database advancements in powder diffraction.

Interpersonal relationships were crucial in advancing the field of powder crystallography.

The current status and future outlook of solving crystal structures using powder data are summarized.

Abstract

In this historical talk, I will begin with some of the early history of powder diffraction in the US and my relation to it. My industrial and (fairly- convoluted) external career intersected with a number of significant developments in hardware, software, and databases - so I will look back on it, with emphasis on the interpersonal relationships which made it possible. I will end with a summary of the current status of powder crystallography (solving and refining crystal structures using powder data, in contrast to the more-normal applications of powder diffraction), and its future outlook.