CHEMISTRY EDITORIAL
July 1971, Vol. 43, No. 8 Editor: HERBERT A. LAITINEN
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On Basic and Applied Research in Universities
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several years there have been increasingly strong trends toward the support of mission-oriented research at the ex pense of basic research, both in government and industry. University scientists are being forced to examine the question of whether they can redirect their efforts toward mission-oriented goals without compromising the quality or the freedom of their research. It is useful, perhaps, to remind ourselves that basic research is not synonymous with useless research. Rather, by its nature, it poten tially is of broad, long-range significance. In contrast, applied re search is potentially applicable in a short time, although its conse quences are more narrow. The two are by no means incompatible. On the contrary, a mission-oriented research project would greatly benefit by a judicious flavoring of basic research. The basic component, however, need not be randomly chosen to suit the whims of "pure" scientists turned loose without goals. Rather, the areas of lack of basic information can be identified in the mission-oriented program, and basic efforts can be pointed in the proper directions. Of course, scientists in industry and government have for a long time operated in this manner, but there seems to be a feeling in university circles that euch an identification of research goals is unduly restrictive. It is becoming increasingly clear that the university research struc ture cannot indefinitely continue to stand aloof, educating scientists mainly to educate more scientists. It is not necessary to convert the universities to applied science centers, but only to redirect a portion of the basic research structure to take its proper role in mission-oriented programs. This need not be done by setting up two classes of research workers but rather by encouraging each staff member to focus an appropriate fraction of his effort toward identifiable goals.
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OR THE PAST
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For submission of manuscripts, see page 4 A. ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 43, NO. 8, JULY 1971
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