Education
Ninth biennial focuses on preparation for industry As the American Chemical Society's Ninth Biennial Education Conference wound to a close two weeks ago, participants seemed to agree on one thing: There's a need to adapt undergraduate studies to better prepare students for careers in industry. By recent estimates, some 60% of bachelor-degree chemistry graduates go into industry. Meeting at Zion, 111., a northern suburb of Chicago, conferees considered ways to accomplish this refocus. And although there was general agreement on the ends, there was different thinking about the means. Curriculum needs of students preparing for industry, and participation in education by industrial chemists were the launching pads for discussion. Dr. Gardner W. Stacy of Washington State University, chairman of the ACS Board Committee on Education and Students, chaired the two-day session.
Of concern to the conference—and for years to both chemists and employers alike—was technical communication skills. The consensus was that more attention should be paid to communications skills—oral, written, and graphic—at all degree levels. One way is to encourage English departments to include technical writing in the standard English composition courses that most colleges and universities require of undergraduates. Alternatively, a separate technical writing course could be established for science and engineering students. Chemistry departments might themselves encourage development of communication skills by critically reviewing writing in exams, term papers, and laboratory reports, according to Dr. Malcolm M. Renfrew of the University of Idaho chemistry department. To further acclimate chemistry stu-
Stacy: communication skills of concern dents to the industrial world, conference attendees agreed that students should have a greater exposure to business and industry aspects of chemistry. By developing one or more upper-level courses supplemented by seminars, field trips, and the like, students could gain a knowledge of patents, economics, marketing, and other business functions, attendees said. Also recommended was that the ACS Office of Education develop additional programs such as audio/film courses to aid chemistry departments in accomplishing this goal. Going a step further in educating chemists in the ways of business, attendees reached a consensus that a
Eighth conference focused on manpower, quality of education As a preliminary to the Ninth Biennial Education Conference, Dr. Gardner W. Stacy, chairman of both the eighth and ninth conferences, recently summarized accomplishments since the eighth. The following are among the highlights. Topics that came under scrutiny at the eighth conference concerned two related subjects: manpower supply-demand, with emphasis on educational aspects of the problem; and the quality of contemporary chemical education. In its approach to the manpower supply-demand problem, the conference urged that new literature emphasize the many dimensions of chemical careers. To provide information to students, and to faculties for discussions with students, ACS has established a series of feature articles entitled "Careers Nontraditional," each featuring interviews with people pursuing careers such as banking, forensics, and patent law. They are being published in the ACS Student Affiliate Newsletter and are being bound as collective units. The conference also recommended a program on the workstudy concept. In 1973 a task force was appointed to survey ac-
tivities in the field and make recommendations on implementing a program. The task force has developed a series of recommendations, key among which is that ACS should establish an Office of Cooperative Chemical Education, which would coordinate academic and industrial efforts to develop a useful dialog on matters of chemical education and curricula. In addition, the conference recommended another type of industry/academe collaboration: increased interchange of chemists between the two areas. A task force appointed to study an industry/academe fellowship proposal concluded that ACS should play a role in encouraging a more extensive interchange and should institute and administer an l/A Fellowship Program, seeking out colleges and universities and industrial organizations interested in participating and putting individuals in direct contact with one another. The program is being studied by a second task force charged with exploring its implementation. Following expression of concern by the conference about the unemployment plight of the mature chemist, a task force has devel-
oped a research proposal to study the initial phase of the problem, exploring the nature of age-related problems of mature chemists, with an attempt at estimating probable success of programs devised to combat them. The conference, with the independent support of some other individuals and groups, recommended strengthening ACS statistical data on salaries, employment, manpower needs, and R&D trends. More recently, further progress has been made with addition to the ACS staff of a professional economist/statistician. In approaching the problem of chemical education quality, the conference urged that ACS develop and experiment with a senior comprehensive examination that would be voluntary and aid departments as one means only of evaluating students. In response to a survey of chemistry departments, the ACS Committee on Professional Training is working on such examinations. And the Examinations Committee of the ACS Division of Chemical Education has indicated its interest in producing and furnishing the examinations should it be decided to make them available.
Oct. 27, 1975C&EN 19
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b,b' dimercapto diethyl ether Dipentaerythritol Hexa (3-Mercaptopropionate) Dithiolterephthalic Acid Glycol Dimercaptoacetate Pentaerythritol Tetra (3-Mercaptopropionate) Pentaerythritol Tetrathioglycolate D I T H I O COMPOUNDS-DISULFIDES-R-S-S-R
Dithiodiglycolic Acid Dithiodipropionic Acid THIOETHERS-THIOCOMPOUNDS-SULFIDES-R-S-R
Dilauryl Thiodipropionate Distearyl Thiodipropionate Di (Tridecyl) Thiodipropionate Thiodiglycolic Acid Thiodipropionic Acid Thiodipropionitrile This is only a partial listing of our organic sulfur compounds. Write for complete catalog, or inquire about specific chemical.
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combination Bachelor of Science in chemistry and Master of Business Ad ministration might be a desirable op tion for undergraduates planning to go into industry. The conference recom mended that ACS look at a five-year program of this type. Dr. Peter E. Yankwich of the University of Illinois, chairman of the ACS Chemical Educa tion Planning and Coordinating Com mittee, believes that information about the utility of such degrees and pro grams should at least be available to interested students. Chemical safety also was a topic that received much attention at conference deliberations. The consensus was that safety information should be part of chemistry lectures, lab courses, and ex aminations. The conference further agreed that academic chemistry de partments should seek assistance from industrial scientists in the manage ment of lab safety problems. In planning and design of chemistry curricula, attendees agreed that more industry-oriented subject matter should be included in chemistry stud ies. They believe that each department of chemistry should, at the undergrad uate level, have elective courses in polymer science, chemical engineering for chemists, and clinical chemistry. Also recommended was the incorpora tion into basic chemistry curricula and graduate courses such topics as ca talysis, computer science, and environ mental chemistry. However, the con ference recognized that extensive addi tions to chemistry curricula might not be possible for all schools—particularly smaller schools. To foster continued interplay be tween academia and industry, at tendees agreed on several methods, in cluding: • Summer employment of both facul ty and students in industry. • Conferences at industrial sites and on-campus seminars with members of industry to maintain contact between academic personnel and industry thinking. • On-campus meetings with recruit ers to give students insight into the realities of chemistry in industry. The conference attendees saw several ways of encouraging industry and aca demic interaction. Dr. L. Carroll King of Northwestern University again stressed the importance of paid, pro ductive work in chemical education, and the conference agreed. Attendees recommended that ACS establish an Office of Cooperative Education in Chemistry. In addition, the conference deter mined that reinforcing the ACS bureau of industrial advisers for the academic community would be desirable. This bureau then could better provide aca demics and students with information about current employment and man power utilization trends and practices, and particularly how they relate to the design of curricula. •
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