Editorial. Scientific Personnel is Limited - Analytical Chemistry (ACS

Editorial. Scientific Personnel is Limited. Lawrence T. Hallett. Anal. Chem. , 1963, 35 (6), pp 601–601. DOI: 10.1021/ac60199a600. Publication Date:...
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A NA LVTICA L EDITORIAL mu,

May 1963, Vol. 35, No. 6

ANALYTICAL

ClHEMISTRY

Director of Publications, Applied Journals, A C S , Richard L . Kenyon Director of Business Operattons, Applied J o u r nals, A C S , JosephH. Kuney Executiue Assistant to the Director of Publications, Applied Journals, A C S , Rodney N . Hader Assistant to the Director of Publications f o r Editorial Development, Applied Journals, A C S , William Q. Hull Director of Editorial Research, Applied J o u r nals, A C S . Robert F. Goii!d Editor, LAWRENCE T. HALLETT

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Scientific Personnel I s limited

T

by an individual is governed largely by the individual’s aptitudes, interests, and education. Out of 1000 individuals, the number who can qualify for a specific profession is fixed. I n this country we are fortunate that money for research and development and education is readily obtained from many sources. Few face the fact, however, that our pool of scientific personnel is limited because of the factors just mentioned. Unfortunately our need for scientific personnel will probably outrun our supply for many years to come. It is refreshing to find among the few who face this problem realistically, Samuel Lenher, Vice President of D u Pont, who in a speech says : HE SELECTION OF A PROFESSION

“We are told, further, that the technical force in most branches of research should double within a decade or less, and that spending for research and development may be $40 or $45 billion by 1970 . . . No niatter how great the demand, regardless of the millions we pour into fellowship funds, whatever the salary scale we set . . . the supply of available brainpower remains relatively inelastic, at least on a short term scale.” Dr. Lenher goes on to say that while we haven’t reached the limit of our intellectual potential, we haven’t enough bright and eager students or good teachers to supply what is needed in 8 or 10 years-it will probably take 20 years. I n the meantime certain projects requiring technical knowledge are pursued a t the expense of others. This means that the evaluation of projects must take into account the work left undone in addition to the military, technical, propaganda, or commercial possibilities of projects undertaken. Training to produce creativity and incentive in individuals is largely beyond our present educational techniques, and Dr. Lenher makes two observations in this area that we believe are significant, viz: I ’ . . . science is subject to as wide a variety of incentives as any other pursuit. Admittedly, men in research display an uncommon dedication to accomplishment in their work, but like men anywhere they also seek faille, fortune, professional honor. authority, or accolades . . . according to differences in personality and temperament. S o one form of organization, however skillful its management or noble its objectives, can conceivably offer as broad a span of incentives as can the traditional research establishment based on a multiplicity of sponsors. Second, an incentive for all is an incentive for none.”

All in all, we believe that the development of our scientific potentialities requires more than spending millions of government allocated funds. Rather, it also requires the continuation of research and educational spending from a variety of sources for a variety of reasons.

e VOL. 35,

NO. 6, MAY 1963

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