ACS MEWS
Chicago Section's Operation Interface improves academe-industry rapport Permeability of the interface between colleges and industry has been increased significantly in the Midwest through an undertaking of the American Chemical Society's Chicago Section. The project, dubbed "Operation Interface," brought teachers from 31 college and university campuses in a 500mile radius of Chicago together with representatives of nine Chicago-area industrial research facilities for a week of tours, discussion, and sociability. Financed anonymously, it was organized by J. Frederick Wilkes and Dr. Peter G. Lykos of the Chicago Section. Participants on both sides praised the program, which may lead the way to additional penetration of the industrial-academic interface in Chicago and elsewhere. In an evaluation at week's end, the teachers gave high marks to both its concept and its conduct. A report on the operation will be distributed to all participants, the ACS Board Committee on Corporation Associates, the Council Committee on Local Section Activities, and ACS committees concerned with education. A copy of the report will be available to anyone requesting it. Improvement of rapport between academic and industrial chemists is a matter of growing interest to the Society. For example, the ACS Board Committee on Chemistry and Public
Affairs established a subcommittee on the industrial-academic interface at its first meeting late in 1965 and the Board's expanded Committee on Corporation Associates created a similar subcommittee at its first meeting last spring. The 1966 ACS President, Dr. William J. Sparks, emphasized the importance of the relationship between industrial and academic chemists in his inaugural message (C&EN, Jan. 3, 1966, page 7) and the biennial ACS education conference in the spring of 1966 treated the interface as a major concern (C&EN, May 30, 1966, page 46). Among the conclusions of the Operation Interface participants was recognition that improved communication would substantially reduce the differences between these two major spheres of chemistry. They agreed that academe and industry had a twofold common problem: to attract competent students to the chemical profession and to supply enough well-qualified chemists to industry to maintain the growing economy. Nearly all the academic participants represented institutions where the percentage of chemistry majors among the entering students is declining, and the industrial spokesmen expressed a need for chemical technicians and graduates in chemistry at all levels. The five-day operation's final ses-
ACADEMIC CROSS SECTION. Participants in the five-day project sponsored by the ACS Chicago Section were mostly younger faculty members from both large and small insititutions; about half were involved in research 66 C&EN OCT. 2, 1967
sion, comprising discussions in small groups of academic and industrial people, summarized by a spokesman from each of the groups, yielded a number of recommendations on which there appeared to be general agreement. Among them: • That ACS maintain a clearinghouse for personnel exchange across the interface, whereby industrial chemists could spend an academic year on a college campus, updating their own education and helping to teach both general chemistry and chemistry seminars, while academic chemists could work in industrial research positions. • That all undergraduate chemistry students receive at least two summers of employment in an industrial chemical laboratory as part of their training. • That the training and use of chemical technicians be accelerated to provide more "hands" in industrial laboratories, comparable to the assistance available from graduate students in academic laboratories. • That industry strive to improve the understanding and appreciation of industrial contributions to human welfare. • That ways be found to improve recognition for the industrial chemist, comparable to the kind of recognition a scientist receives from his peers in the academic community. • That chemistry curriculums contain more descriptive chemistry and inspirational teaching to impress students with the purposes and contributions of chemistry. Related to this was a suggestion that industry be bet-
NITTY-GRITTY. Discussions quickly got down to basic issues in friendly though candid exchange. Speaking here is Dr. F. K. Schmidt-Bleek
ter represented on those boards and committees that influence chemistry curriculums. • That the quality of teaching and career guidance at the high school level be improved. • That industry increase its financial aid to schools. Operation Interface is a modification of a program begun in 1965 when funds were first made available anonymously to help chemistry majors in the Midwest increase their understanding of industrial chemistry (C&EN, Aug. 30, 1965, page 8 4 ) . For the first two years, the funds were used to provide a week of plant tours for selected college seniors in chemistry. In the belief that more college students could obtain accurate impressions of industry through well-informed professors than through plant tours, the project this year was directed toward providing industrial information to younger college teachers. The ACS staff suggested the project to the Chicago Section, which accepted responsibility, obtained commitments from chemical companies, and issued invitations to some 500 large and small midwestern universities, colleges, and two-year colleges. The number of teachers was limited to about 30, primarily younger faculty members. Hopefully, those turned down this year will have an opportunity to participate in the future. Conferences and tours. The program began with registration and a dinner on a Sunday evening. The keynote speaker was Dr. Herman Bloch of Universal Oil Products, who has long been identified with educational concerns of ACS and other organizations. Dr. Bloch pointed out three major as-
FIRST HAND. Laboratory tours at each installation enabled teachers to view working conditions and discuss research with industrial chemists
pects of the interface problem: the decrease in registration of students in chemistry; the relatively poor preparation of college graduates for industrial employment; and the shortage of good people for industrial positions. He directed attention to the apparent lack of understanding and appreciation for the value of science among young people and to the fact that today they feel a great need for solving world social problems. These factors, plus the growing tendency to avoid academic courses reputed to be difficult, probably account for most of the decrease in registration in chemistry. Beginning at 8 A.M. Monday and continuing through 5:30 P.M. Thursday, the academic chemists went on a whirlwind tour through eight industrial installations and Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute. IITRI was among the first on the list because it is probably closest in nature to the academic environment. At each installation the pattern was similar: congregation for orientation and discussion, tour of laboratories, and further discussions. The companies entertained the teachers at coffee breaks or lunch, according to the time schedule. The most useful part of the program was the discussion at each location. Generally, the companies were represented by both the upper echelons and the recent graduates in the research organizations. These dialogues were largely uninhibited and candid, and always friendly, permitting a free exchange about motivation, attitudes, recognition, quality of education, publication of results, and many other topics. The discussions often continued among the academicians far into the night in a hospitality suite provided at the headquarters motel. Friday morning was devoted to discussions in small groups, which were summarized in open forum. After final discussion and evaluations, the project ended at noon. Without exception, the academic participants endorsed the idea of conducting a project such as this—many of them enthusiastically. The activity will be recommended to other local sections, and the Interface Subcommittee of the ACS Board Committee on Corporation Associates will study the report of the project in detail. Following are the industrial organizations, in the order visited and their representatives: Swift & Co. Research & Development Laboratories, Chicago—Dr. Howard C. Black. IIT Research Institute, Chicago— Dr. Morton J. Klein, Al Gaynor. Amoco Chemicals Corp., Whiting, Ind.-Carl E. Johnson, Dr. D. E. Burney.
American Oil Co., Whiting, Ind.— Dr. P. C. White, Don G. Schroeter. Universal Oil Products, Des Plaines, 111.—Dr. Vladimir Haensel, Dr. Herman S. Bloch. Charles Bruning Co., Inc., Mt. Prospect, Ill.-Dr. Carl Botkin, Dr. Evan Baltazzi. Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill.-Dr. Arthur W. Weston, Dr. Charles S. Brown, Larry Crail. Nalco Chemical Co., ChicagoRobert R. Burns, E. Charlton Crocker. Corn Products Co., Moffett Technical Center, Argo, 111.—John P. Hursh, Dr. John Garber. The academic participants were: Dr. Paul Barks, St. Norbert College. Dr. John E. Bauman, Jr., University of Missouri. Dr. Donald J. Bettinger, Ohio Northern University. Robert L. Burham, Grand View College. Dr. Albert L. Caskey, Southern Illinois University. Dr. George C. Dehne, Capital University. Dr. William E. Donahue, Purdue University, Ft. Wayne Regional Campus. Dr. Derry L. Fishel, Kent State University. Dr. John W. Hill, Wisconsin State University (River Falls). Dr. Joe M. Hopping, Central Missouri State College. Dr. M. Thomas Jones, St. Louis University. Dr. Elizabeth M. Kramer, Alverno College. Dr. Arne N. Langsjoen, Gustavus Adolphus College. Melvin J. Larson, Joliet Junior College. Dr. Agnes Mary Mansour, RSM, Mercy College of Detroit. Dr. Robert B. Meyer, Monmouth College. Dr. Leon Rand, University of Detroit. Dr. Kenneth P. Reed, Villa Madonna College. Dr. Thomas A. Rettig, University of Iowa. Calvin H. Schmid, Wisconsin State University. Dr. Frederick K. Schmidt-Bleek, Purdue University. Dr. Joseph H. Schoeb, University of Minnesota, Morris Campus. Dr. John Howe Scott, Macalester College. Dr. Charles W. Spangler, Northern Illinois University. Dr. William A. Trinler, Indiana State University. Dr. Truman D. Turnquist, Mount Union College. Dr. Allen R. Utke, Wisconsin State University, Oshkosh. Dr. John G. Verkade, Iowa State University. Dr. William H. Webb, University of Missouri at Rolla. Dr. Fred D. Williams, Michigan Technological University. OCT. 2, 1967 C&EN
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