The first high resolution X-ray structures of membrane-bound proteins were presented at the Bioenergetics Gordon Conference, which was important in stimulating research in the area. It was able to focus the science on electron and proton transport systems which enabled many important breakthroughs in this area.
- Gary Cecchini
Very early on, there were acronyms everywhere for the various Raman methods. My favorite is one I heard from Al Harvey at the 1976 conference. Common Old Ordinary Raman Spectroscopy - COORS.
- Larry Rahn
At the morning coffee break during the Isotopes in Biological and Chemical Sciences Gordon Conference in 1998, 80 percent of the participants did not return. It turns out they were filming a "Baywatch" episode across the street on the beach at Ventura.
- John S. Blanchard
People tell me that Ledoux and I engaged in a tug of war over the microphone while arguing about the meaning of his experiments! (I believe this story, although I don't recall the physical struggle.)
- Mary-Dell Chilton
The GRC format doesn't work everywhere. At a meeting in the Riviera in 1975, it became evident that you can't have a scientific session after a French dinner - so one was held in the late afternoon.
- Cheves Walling
I remember watching some wonderful tennis matches between famous scientists. Also, I remember that there were only about two public telephones and people would be lined up to phone their labs at home about hot new leads and ideas.
- Dorothy Bainton