2026 Symposium

In late July, a special event was held at the University of Cambridge to honor the centenary of the birth of celebrated organic chemist and philanthropist Herchel Smith.

As part of the annual University of Cambridge–Harvard University Scientific Symposium, students, faculty, and fellows from both institutions, as well as members of Harvard’s Herchel Smith Fellowships Advisory Board, gathered in person in Cambridge, UK on Wednesday and Thursday, July 22 and 23, for an academic conference featuring scientific talks and research presentations in the fields of biology and chemistry.

Following the symposium, a special event on Friday, July 24 honored Smith’s pioneering spirit and dedication to supporting scientific scholarship. Harvard’s Evelynn Hammonds gave keynote remarks on the complex history of the contraception pill — which Smith was instrumental in bringing to the public —including its intersection with U.S. politics; whether scientists and policymakers should play a role in its governance; the media’s part in driving societal perceptions of contraception and the reproductive sciences as a whole; and the many complicating human and societal factors affecting its scientific development and distribution.

A series of scientific talks by faculty and researchers from Harvard, the University of Cambridge, and beyond followed the keynote. A talk on reproductive and developmental biology included, among others, Harvard’s Kara McKinley, assistant professor of stem cell and regenerative biology. Shankar Balasubramanian, the Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, gave a lecture on organic chemistry. The closing talk on history, law, and the societal impact of ‘the pill’ included Harvard’s Gabriela Soto Laveaga, professor of the history of science and Antonio Madero Professor for the Study of Mexico.

Born in Plymouth, UK in 1925, Smith attended Emmanuel College in Cambridge for the natural sciences and earned his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of Cambridge. As a postdoctoral fellow at Oxford University and then a lecturer in organic chemistry at the University of Manchester, he worked to develop new ways to modify and synthesize naturally occurring steroids. In 1961, Smith began work for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in the U.S., where, building on his earlier research, he developed the first synthetic birth control pills, injectable contraceptives, and other hormone therapy treatments. He would eventually have more than 800 patents in his name.

In retirement Smith became a philanthropist, giving significantly to Harvard, the University of Cambridge, Emmanuel, Queen Mary and Westfield College London, Williams College, and Pennsylvania Hospital to promote teaching, learning, and research in chemistry, medicine, and patent law. Following his death in 2001, he left large bequests to these institutions, including gifts to Cambridge and Harvard that were among the largest both had ever received. These bequests helped establish multiple endowed professorships at both institutions, including in pure mathematics, physics, computer sciences, and molecular genetics at Harvard and in fields including immunology, medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, and property law at Cambridge.

The Herchel Smith Graduate Fellowship Program, for which this symposium and special event were organized, supports the education, training, and scholarship of PhD students and their exchange between the University of Cambridge and Harvard. The annual symposium, held alternately on the Harvard and Cambridge campuses, aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and connection with other scientists abroad. Funding is also available for fellows to undertake shorter, six-week research exchanges between the two campuses.

In addition to graduate student support, the Herchel Smith-Harvard Undergraduate Science Research Program supports undergraduates conducting summer research in mathematics, engineering, or the life, physical/natural, or computer sciences at Harvard and affiliate research enterprises under the guidance of a Harvard faculty member.

“Herchel Smith was a towering figure in the sciences whose research has improved the lives of millions of people around the world,” said Vice Provost for International Affairs Mark C. Elliott. “This year’s symposium and special event honor his legacy — not only of his philanthropic contributions to Harvard, Cambridge, and elsewhere, but of his dedication to bringing promising young scientists from around the world together to collaborate on tomorrow’s cures.”

“The event was a fitting tribute to Herchel Smith, who had such a tremendous impact on scientific research, international academic exchange, and society more broadly,” agreed Bhaskar Vira, Pro Vice Chancellor for Education for Cambridge University. “We are so pleased to continue our longstanding work with the faculty, students, and researchers of Harvard University in service of his mission of supporting the next generation of scientific scholars.”

Author: Jessica McCann