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Editorial
A golden opportunity Elsewhere in this issue (see page 26), you'll find a story dealing with the so-called academic-industrial interface. Students and faculty, it seems, don't really understand what it's all about in industry. And industry can't seem to reckon with academe. Not only is there not an interface. There is positively a gap. So a number of chemistry departments together with industrial groups are moving to bridge that gap. At the risk of sounding a bit cynical, we might ask the question: Isn't this a problem that swells and ebbs with the flow of government funds? As UOP's Dr. Herman S. Bloch says, current interest on campus in industrial careers represents a "general turnaround" that has taken place over the past two or three years. For some years before that, industrial work—billed as a second-class avocation by some academics—seemed to hold little interest for budding scientists. But before that, in presputnik days, we don't recall that industry generally had all that bad an image. Yes, interest in industry seems to wax and wane precisely out of phase with availability of federal funds. Nothing startling there, certainly, but it's a point we feel should be clearly understood. The present shift in campus attitudes toward industry stems not so much from any new revelation as from economic facts of life. Industry is where "it"—that is, the jobs—is at (if not now, in coming months). But there is not yet really a turnaround. Indeed, it would be unfortunate were students to move only grudgingly into industry as a second-best choice. Industry, and the country, for that matter, deserves better. It will be equally unfortunate if industry only reluctantly accepts this new blood. Students deserve better. We've long felt, in fact, that students seeking relevance will find it most sharply focused in industry. With all due respect to the universities and their absolutely critical role in our society, it is industry by its very nature that is most often closest to our national problems and in the best position to do something about them, either because it has caused them or because it can most easily solve them. Industry is now awakening, or being prodded, to this realization. And for that part of industry that seriously accepts its role in helping right some of our social ills, these students represent salvation. Fundamentally, of course, there shouldn't even be an "academicindustrial" interface. The word "interface" implies compartments— spheres—separateness—unmixed phases. Interface conjures up images of boundaries—areas of control—domains. Unwittingly, by using this term, we have described one of our problems. Like the Japanese, we should pull together. As one industry research man puts it: "Chiefly because of the poor job market, students and therefore their professors have become especially interested in industry. In addition many students have discovered 'relevance' in industrial research; . . . but whatever the motives of the academic people, a golden opportunity for improving the industrial-university interface exists presently and must be taken advantage o f . . . . This is not the time for industry to take a hard-nosed attitude." Isn't it about time to pull together? Otherwise, it may be academic. Patrick P. McCurdy C&EN EDITORIALS REPRESENT ONLY T H E VIEWS OF T H E AUTHOR AND AIM AT TRIGGERING INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION.
Chemical & Engineering News
June 7, 1971 Volume 49, Number 23 Letters 5 Protein missynthesis Chemical World This Week 11 Natural gas resources 12 Arctic pipeline system 12 Allied hit on mercury 13 Canada's science problems 13 Study blasts FDA 14 Science in China 14 Drugs and new graduates Industry/Business 15 Concentrates 16 More CPI information International 19 Concentrates Government 21 Concentrates Science 23 Concentrates 24 Drugs from the sea Education 26 Academic-industrial interface Technology 28 Concentrates 29 Hollow fibers 30 Optically active amines 30 Permeable liquid membranes 31 Laser microprobe 31 Biological pollution monitor 32 Physiology by computers 33 Fast-breeder reactors Feature 34 Free radicals and aging ACS News/People 52 Pension plan carrier Special 58 IUPAC Congress program Newscripts 76 Chemist's Club admits women JUNE 7, 1971 C&EN 3
