Chemical and Engineering News 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 Acting Editor: Richard L. Kenyon Managing Editor: Michael Heylin Assistant Managing Editors: David M. Kiefer, James H. Krieger, Donald J. Soisson Senior Editor: Earl V. Anderson (New York) Senior Associate Editor: Howard J. Sanders Staff Writer: Joseph Haggin Associate Editor: Ernest L. Carpenter Assistant Editors: Janice R. Long, P. Christopher Murray, Rebecca L. Rawls, Richard J. Seltzer Editorial Assistant: Theresa L. Rome Editing Services: Joyce A. Richards (Head) Editorial Reference: Barbara A. Gallagher (Head) Production Manager: Bacil Guiley Associate Production Manager: Leroy Corcoran Art Director: Norman W. Favin Art/Production: Linda McKnight NEWS B U R E A U S : New York: William F. Fallwell (Head). Chicago: Ward Worthy (Head). Houston: Bruce F. Greek (Head). Washington: Fred H. Zerkel (Head), Thomas E. Feare (Associate Editor) FOREIGN B U R E A U S : London: Dermot A. O'Sullivan (Head). Tokyo: Michael K. McAbee (Head) ADVISORY BOARD: Alfred E. Brown, Marcia Coleman, Arthur W. Galston, Derek P. Gregory, James D. Idol, Jr., Gerald D. Laubach, Paul F. Oreffice, Edward R. Thornton, Herbert L. Toor, M. Kent Wilson Published by AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Robert W. Cairns, Executive Director Division of Public Affairs and Communication Richard L. Kenyon, Director Arthur Poulos, Editorial Promotion EDITORIAL BOARD: Mary L. Good (Chairman), Herman S. Bloch, Bryce Crawford, Jr., Robert W. Parry, B. R. Stanerson; President Elect: William J. Bailey; Representative, Council Publications Committee: Arthur Fry; PastPresident: Alan C. Nixon © Copyright 1974, American Chemical Society Subscription Service: Send all new and renewal subscriptions with payment to: Office of the Controller, 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. All correspondence and telephone calls regarding changes of address, claims for missing issues, subscription service, status of records and accounts should be directed to: Manager, Membership and Subscription Services, American Chemical Society, P.O. Box 3337, Columbus, Ohio 43210; telephone 614-421-7230. On changes of address, include both old and new addresses with ZIP code numbers, accompanied by mailing label from a recent issue. Allow four weeks for change to become effective. Claims for missing numbers will not be allowed if received more than 60 days from date of issue plus time normally required for postal delivery of journal and claim; if loss was due to failure of notice of change of address to be received before the date specified above; or if reason for claim is "issue missing from files." Subscription Rates 1974: nonmembers, U.S. and Canada, 1 yr. $9.00, 2 yr. $15, 3 yr. $19; foreign $16, $30, $43. Postage: Canada, Pan American Union, $4.00; foreign $5.00. Air freight rates available on request. Single copies: Current $0.50. Rates for back issues and volumes are available from Special Issues Sales Dept., 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. An annual index is available for $20. Standing orders are accepted. Back and current issues are available on microfilm. For further information, contact Special Issues Sales, ACS, 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Published by the American Chemical Society from 20th and Northampton Sts., Easton, Pa., weekly except the last week in December. Second class postage paid at Washington, D . C , and at additional mailing offices. The American Chemical Society assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by the contributors to its publications. Views expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the American Chemical Society. Advertising Management CENTCOM, LTD. (For list of offices see page 47)
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C&ENJan. 21, 1974
Editorial
Materials and Man's Needs It is obvious to any who pay attention to the workings of our society and its economy that our way of life depends heavily on materials, that the U.S. has been blessed with a relatively good supply of natural material resources, and that we are wasteful of them. But there has been too little broad, deep thought given to the total significance of these facts. Now, the suddenness and seriousness of the petroleum supply situation has brought a shock that may fix the thinking of the public, from the most responsible and sophisticated to those who are concerned only with their warmth and gasoline, more constructively on the total aspects of the situation. Reports of a planned meeting of the aluminum producing countries, attention called to the prospect of copper shortages, and increasing public attention to the fact that the U.S. is an importer of materials taken for granted such as iron ore, lead, nickel, zinc, asbestos, and a large list of other materials critical to our economy, may awaken us to a major change on rather short notice of some very important relationships. The Committee on Science and Public Policy of the National Academy of Sciences has just published a report by its Committee on the Survey of Materials Science and Engineering entitled "Materials and Man's Needs," which should help to provide some order to our awakening and crisis-intensified thinking. The report outlines the places of materials in a changing context, comments on the place of science and engineering and materials activities, outlines national concerns and technical challenges, and describes opportunities in materials research. It presents 24 recommendations as agenda for action. The report wisely notes that to help improve the management of all aspects of materials, the concepts and methods of materials science and engineering must be applied systematically at all points in the materials cycle and coordinated with the evolving national policies on resources, energy, and environmental quality. The thrust of its design is fivefold: • Purposeful mobilization of the technical expertise of materials scientists and engineers. • Comprehensive federal leadership. • An intensive effort by industry to exploit and nourish the reservoir of materials knowledge. • A strengthened academic base to inject new knowledge into that reservoir. • A deliberate assumption of pertinent responsibilities by materials professionals and their technical societies. The importance of chemistry and its practitioners in science and engineering of materials is well known to chemists and chemical engineers and has been emphasized in the study "Chemistry in the Economy," recently published by ACS. All materials are chemical in nature. The new NAS study approaches the entire field of materials science and engineering in such a way as to emphasize its interdisciplinary nature and its fundamental relationships to our economy. Our society has been able to make relatively gross use of the materials of nature and has developed the capacity for making synthetic materials in prodigal fashion. This is decreasingly acceptable. Only the most systematic and imaginative use of science and technology can provide the key to solving the problems involved. Richard L. Kenyon
C&EN EDITORIALS REPRESENT ONLY THE VIEWS OF THE AUTHOR AND AIM AT TRIGGERING INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION.
