EDITOR: GEORGE IH. MORRISON EDITORIAL HEADCIUARTERS 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202-872-4570 Teletype: 710-8220 151
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Executive Editor: Josephine M. Petruzzi Managing Editor: Barbara Cassatt Associate Editor; Stuart A. Borman Assistant Editors: Marcia S. Cohen, Rani A. George Editorial Assistant: ILouise Voress Production Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Art Director: John \/, Sinnett Staff Arfist. Linda bl. Mattingly Copy Editor: Gail M. Mortenson Circulation Manager: Cynthia G. Smith Journals Dept., Columbus, Ohlo Associate Head: Marianne Brogan Associate Editor: Rodney L. Temos Advlsory Board Joel A. Carter, Richard S. Danchik, Richard Ourst, Dennis H. Evans, Jack W. Frazer, Helen M. Free, Shizuo Fujiwara, Roland F. Hirsch, Csaba Horvath, Wilbur I. Kaye, Thomas C. O’Haver, Janet Osteryoung, Herbert L. Retcofsky, Robert E. Sievers, Wilhelm Simon, Rudolph H. Stehl Instrumentation Advisory Panel: Edward M. Chait, M. Bonner [lenton, Raymond E. Dessy, Larry R. Faulkner, Martin S. Frant, Michael L. Gross, Fred E. Lyitie, Curt Reimann, Andrew T. Zander Contributing Editor, A I C Interface: Raymond E. Dessy The Analytical Approach Advisory Panel: Edward C. Dunlop, Robert A. Hofstader, Wilbur D. Shults Regulatory Affalrs, Analytlcal Dlvlsion Committee: Curt W. Reimann (Chairman) Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Books and Journals Dlvision Director: D. H. Michael Bowen Journals: Charles R. Bertsch
“Who’s the Fairest of Them All?” The most recent attempt in the never-ending human effort to quantify quality is the just published assessment of doctoral programs, “An Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs in the U.S.: Mathematical and Physical Sciences,” National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1982. This study, which is the first in a series of five that will cover all fields, is of particular interest to our readers, since it includes data on chemistry programs. The study evaluates 145 chemistry research-doctorate programs using 16 criteria falling into the following categories: size, quality of graduates, reputation of the faculty and effectiveness of a program, research support, and publications. The study wisely does not come up with a general ranking of research departments; however, this has not stopped a number of journalistic attempts (Time, the New York Times, C&EN, for example) to do so on the basis of their interpretations of what the “Assessment” presents. Of the 16 criteria used, the two most significant appear to be reputation of faculty and effectiveness of program as judged by 301 chemists for the period FY 1976-80, and publication record based on data from the 1978 and 1979 “Science Citation Index.” According to my interpretation of these data the top 10 chemistry departments in alphabetical order are Berkeley, Cal Tech, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Illinois, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, and Wisconsin. Other excellent departments could easily qualify, depending upon one’s interpretation of the data; the reader is urged to study the original report. No information is provided regarding the quality of the subdisciplines of chemistry, but it should be noted that only four of the top 10 departments have graduate programs in analytical chemistry. A review of the survey participants, 88%of whom were selected by their own institutions, reveals that only 13% list their field of specialization as analytical chemistry and that the majority of the respondents are organic and physical chemists. While many aspects of this study may invite criticism, it does provide much useful information for students, faculty, and administrators. However, one must exercise caution against the mass-media insistence on a numerical ranking.
Production: Elmer Pusey, Jr. Marketing & Sales: Claud K. Robinson Research and Development: Seldon W. Terrant Manuscript requirements are published in the January 1983 issue, page 171. Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY at the ACS Washington address. The American Chemical Society and its editors assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by contributors. Views expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the American Chemical Society. ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 55, NO. 6, MAY 1983
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