News of the Week The board also received a report from a task force on minorities in the chemical sciences. The report identifies the many barriers that blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans face in trying to enter chemistry. It also outlines internal and external actions ACS could take to help lower these barriers. Internal actions proposed include establishing a committee on minorities in chemistry, and recruiting minorities into ACS membership, governance, and staff. External actions involve cooperating with advocacy and other groups seeking to increase the flow of minorities into science. The task force suggests activities costing $190,000 a year to launch an expanded program. In accepting this report, the board agreed to establish an implementa-
tion committee. The committee will, among other things, recommend how such activities could be funded, and how they would best fit into the society's governance and staff hierarchies. Three of ACS's four society committees will have new chairmen in 1992. As chairman of Budget & Finance, the board appointed Heininger to replace Joan E. Shields, who was not reelected to the board. As Publications chairman, Heindel will replace Jean'ne M. Shreeve, who served the allowable limit of three years. As Education chairman, J. Ivan Legg will replace Glenn A. Crosby, who also served three years. And Larry F. Thompson will retain the chairmanship of the Chemical Abstracts Service Committee. Michael Heylin
National Science Foundation director Walter E. Massey made public last week his goals and priorities for the $2 billion agency at a time of "new and dynamic scientific and societal challenges." The three-page memo to agency staff members bears a tone calling for staff unity. It contains no surprises, but does apply Massey's philosophical brand to an agency currently undergoing the pangs of reorganization. Massey, in office for less than one year of a six-year term, recites the pledge of every new NSF director, and repeats it at every opportunity: to keep the U.S. scientifically robust. But he also indicates he will follow in the tradition of his predecessor, Erich Bloch, by "building stronger bridges between academia and insearches, and to analyze those struc- dustry in order that the excellence of tures for bioactivity and other prop- our academic institutions contributes erties, primarily to identify new substantially to the standard of living lead compounds—in pharmaceutical of all members of society." Massey lays out three goals for research, for example. The enhanced version of Sybyl/ NSF. The first is increasing the size 3DB also will be able to search more and duration of research grants. He than 100 databases on STN. The same says he will keep on the lookout for will be true for the STN-compatible innovative ways of funding research version of PsiBase, a menu-driven via "groups, centers, and major facilprogram that is used to design and ities." Second, NSF must try to meet build chemical structure and reaction "current critical national needs" in databases. The new agreements come only education, human resources, and ecothree months after announcement nomic development. Its programs of a major CAS collaboration with need to reach out to the general pubMolecular Design Ltd. (C&EN, Sept. lic to create a social climate nurturing 9, page 5)—which linked MDL's In- scientific talent, he says. The third goal is to raise the faith tegrated Scientific Information System (ISIS) to STN. This enhanced and spirit of NSF's staff through version of ISIS has still not been re- good management and supervisory leased, however. Likewise, the time practice. He promises to "improve of release of the STN-compatible processes of internal communicaversions of Sybyl/3DB and PsiBase tion" so staff needs are served. Massey has made efforts during was not specified at the London his first year at NSF to reach out to meeting. Wendy Warr, manager of infor- staff members by personal visits, but mation services at ICI Pharmaceuti- some staff still believe his frequent cals, comments, "It is jolly good to absences leave his personal staff too see CAS building up a multiplicity much in charge of the agency of relations. The more evidence we (C&EN, Dec. 2, page 8). Through his see of integration, the more happy memo, the director apparently is we users are.... CAS obviously now seeking earnestly to correct any flaws is opening up and integrating, and in his management system, and to overcome any staff morale problems. that's super." Wil Lepkowski Stu Borman
Agreements widen access to on-line chemical data Access to chemical information on the STN International on-line database network will be broadened by new agreements between Chemical Abstracts Service and two chemistry software firms. The agreements, announced last week at the 15th International Online Information Meeting in London will link Sybyl/3DB software (from Tripos Associates) and the PsiBase program (from Hampden Data Services) to STN. One of the world's largest networks for scientific and technical information, STN is operated jointly by CAS in North America, FIZ Karlsruhe in Europe, and the Japan Information Center of Science & Technology in Japan. Scientists and information searchers will be able to use the new versions of Sybyl/3DB and PsiBase to search STN, as well as to continue their current use for querying inhouse databases. This will make it easier to access and integrate data from different sources, especially for institutions that already have Sybyl/ 3DB or PsiBase programs. Sybyl /3DB combines two- and three-dimensional structure searching of corporate and third-party databases with 3-D molecular visualization and activity and property prediction. The program is used to visualize 3-D structures found in 6
December 16, 1991 C&EN
Director Massey sets NSF goals, priorities
