Daniel Hickman

Biography

  Dan Hickman is inspired by the truth. He is committed to uncovering the truth in all his areas of interest – from philosophy and theology to his professional work as an R&D scientist. “As I develop new chemical processes, this passion manifests itself in my efforts to design equipment and execute experiments in a way that extracts the truth,” Dan said. “Bad science is easy to do, but it often leads to the wrong answers. Good science takes effort and commitment.” Dan always loved to learn about science. It started as a child with a fascination with dinosaurs. But then, he soon realized that there were two categories of science: historical and observational. energy and water. “To propose a hypothesis and conduct repeated experiments to validate or disprove that hypothesis – that kind of science really appealed to me,” he said. Historical science, including studying dinosaurs, didn’t allow for a lot of experimentation. By eighth grade, Dan wrote in a school report that he would be a chemist. A Mentor to Young Researchers Dan sees younger team members as a source of creativity and inspiration. “I sense my responsibility to pass on the tools of the trade to them so that they may more effectively pursue scientific truth,” he said. He encourages young scientists to develop their critical thinking skills. “Don't be quick to accept what others teach as fact,” he said. “Good scientists question and test assumptions.” Better Person. Better Scientist Dan encourages students to study science with the big picture in mind. “Biology is not independent from chemistry, nor are these independent from physics,” he said. “More importantly, scientific disciplines are best practiced in the context of the humanities and social sciences. Read broadly and read regularly. Study science and the humanities to become a better person. In the process, you will become a better scientist.” Dan says that his wife and two kids occasionally tease him when he gets excited about a science topic or when he seizes the opportunity to teach them something scientific. “I have a tendency to be very single-minded (I prefer ‘focused’), so they deserve a lot of credit for helping me be a multidimensional person with broad interests and an appreciation for things like good literature, sound principles of government and economics, and fashion.”

Research Interest