Education their disposal, it does have a special attraction to department heads. It goes directly to the department, rather than to any individual, with no strings attached other than it be used to support basic research. Pruitt, who is passing CCR's chairmanship to Alvin L. Kwiram, head of the chemistry department at the University of Washington, sees the coming year as crucial to CCR, especially with the economy remaining so depressed for chemical producers. "We spent most of the past year establishing an organization and obtaining members," he notes. "Now we must be more concerned with funding." Adds Monsanto vice president S. Allen Heininger, a member of CCR's executive committee, "Now that we are up and running, we have to decide where we want to go and what role CCR should play, including on the national scene." Meanwhile, the council's role as a link between industrial and academic research is winning high praise. James F. Mathis, vice president for science and technology at Exxon, claims that "if CCR did not exist, it would be necessary to invent it to expedite
technology transfer between the universities and industry during these difficult times. CCR is uniquely qualified to do this. There is a catalytic effect in getting key people from industry and the universities together in a hotel for a couple of days." Heininger points out, too, that "technology doesn't transfer on pieces of paper but in the minds of people working together." And Pruitt thinks that one of CCR's significant accomplishments has been in getting academic chemists and chemical engineers to talk and work together more effectively. David Kiefer, Washington
Plan may ease faculty shortage in engineering Help in solving the engineering faculty shortage crisis is being sought by the American Association of Engineering Societies, New York City, in the form of a four-part proposal. The plan calls for cooperation among the federal government, universities, and the private sector. AAES has sent the proposal to George A. Keyworth II,
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C&ENOct. 11, 1982
director of the Office of Science & Technology Policy and adviser to President Reagan. The proposal is called "A Working Plan for Attacking the Engineering Faculty Shortage Problem." It was developed by a task force of AAES's Educational Affairs Council. Part one of the plan calls for establishment of the New Faculty Assistance Program. It aims to encourage more doctoral students to accept assistant professorships by offering two years of lighter teaching loads for an assistance package of $20,000 over two years for summer support, equipment purchases, release time in the academic year, and other improvements in working conditions. Half the funds would come from the federal government, the other half from institutional resources, which might include industrial grants and gifts. Directed at qualified Ph.D. candidates, part two envisions a program of White House Engineering Fellowships that would supply funding from the federal government at stipends of $60,000, payable at $10,000 per year for up to four years or until the graduate student earns the engineering doctoral degree, and continuing for two years if the student accepts employment as an engineering college faculty member. The university would be required to contribute an additional $5000 per year for a maximum of four years to the student's stipend, the funds coming from private gifts, industry grants, normal revenues, and the like. Part three, designed to lure those qualified people into the university system, would create White House Engineering Professors. Those accepted would be appointed to a faculty position for five years. In addition to their salaries as professors, they would receive a stipend of up to $25,000 per year from the government, with the participating institution required to provide matching funds. The federal money would be paid to the university for use at its discretion for relocation of, or paying fringe benefits for, new faculty members. Part four provides for improvement of university conditions. Encouraged to make long-range plans to become more attractive for qualified students and instructors, universities proving to be the most innovative would receive aid through federal funds if matched by university-raised money. AAES figures the 10-year cost to the government at $467 million. D
