Carl Djerassi was an Austrian-born Bulgarian-American chemist, novelist and playwright best known for his contribution to the development of oral contraceptive pills. He was one of the few American chemists to have been awarded both the U.S. National Medal of Science and of Technology.

He focused mostly on writing “science-in-theatre” plays. Translated into nine languages, An Immaculate Misconception opened at the Edinburgh Festival and was later staged in over twelve major cities worldwide. His second and third plays, Oxygen, co-authored with Roald Hoffmann and Calculus, about the Newton-Leibniz priority struggle, both opened in California, while his first “non-scientific” play, Ego, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

He also published short stories, poetry, autobiography, and a memoir; as well as five novels.

He was the founder of the Djerassi Resident Artists Program in California, which provides residencies for artists in the visual arts, literature, music and the performing arts.