Professional Analytical Chemists in Industry A Short Course To Encourage Students To Attend Graduate School Richard A. DePalma The Procter Gamble Company, 6071 Center Hill Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224 Alan H. Ullman' The Procter & Gamble Company, 6250 Center Hill Road, Cincinnatl, OH 45224 The declining number of students entering the physical sciences as a profession is a concern to educators and leaders in technical positions (1-4). This concern is spreading to the oooular Dress as we11 (5). There are simolv too few students kntering'thene fields. his is true in chemistry and, we believe. in oarticular in analvtical chemiutrv. The dozen largest employek of PhD analytical chemists done project annual hiring targets in excess of half of the -240 analytical PhD's (with US. citizenship or temporary visa status) graduated each year (6). T o deal with the lack of knowledge about industrial life, a group of analytical chemists a t Procter & Gamble has developed a one-day short course to inform students about careers as analytical chemists in industry. This course grew out of our concern that too few eraduates were available to meet the growing needs of indust& and the fact that most science students did not know what scientists in industry do. We reasoned that, if students knew more about careers as analvtical chemists in industw and had an onoortunitv to talk .. to practicing chemists, then more might choose such careers. Our course does not address the lack of under~raduate enrollment in the sciences; other programs are being develooed to generate ereater interest in science and to improve the qua&y of science education in the elementary and secondary schools (7). Once students enter rdlepe and choose to major in chemistry, they need to be made aware of all the different career opportunities in chemistry. They need to learn about careersas chemistry teachers, bench scientists, research leaders, college or university professors, and "nontraditional" careers in forensics. technical sales. oatent law. etc. The training required for each career and some idea of the activities associated with that career need to be given to the students-and that is part of what we do in our short course. The Professional Analytlcal Chemists in Industry Short course This course is aimed a t junior and senior undergraduates who have completed a t least one semester of instrumental analysis. This training is necessary so they have the background to understandthe problems we discuss, which generally rewire some instrumental analysis. The course is not instrument-intensive. A balance of wet chemical techniques and instrumental techniques is used. The emphasis is on the understanding that chemistry chemistry of the probleiand to solve it. While the course is built around oroblem solvine. informationon salary and roles of the anal&ical chemist i h s o given as backeround material. Five roles of the analvtical chemist have beLn identified for detailed discussion ( ~ a h l 1e and refs 8-10). All the rolesarediscussed in thecourse, but the roleof
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Table 1. Roles ol the Analytlcal Chemlst as a Problem Solver Standard Methods Methcds Development
Technique Development Science Resource Troubleshooting/Fire FigMing problemsolver is the central theme because the students can participate by using their chemical skills to solve the problems. (We use the "Troubleshooting/Fire Fighting" role for most of our problem-solving examples because these tend to be simoler to follow and have a more definitive resolution.) This g:ves them a real feel for this challengingand fun career oooortunitv. The main messaee of the course is that "analvt. ical chemists in industry are problem solvers who use their chemical skills and analytical thinking to solve problems!' The course opens with several brief examples of problems that have been solved at P&G. These are designed to catch the students'interest. During the day a framework for problem solving (see figure) is developed, and criteria for effective analytical measurments are discussed. These include accuracv. precision, interferences. detection limits. etc. The problek:shving "flow chart" givks the students tangible approach to follow and helps them to realize that "you don't run right to the lab with each sample that comes in." I t also reminds them that "going back to square one is okay." I t stresses the importance of gathering relevant background information and developing a plan, including available resources, before going to the lab. At the end of the day the students applywhat they have learned, plus their own chemistrv knowledee. - . t o solve industrial orohlems: but note: this is not alab coune!Problems are woried by thinking through what steps should be taken and discussing them with the instructors who provide the results of the experiments suggested bv the students. We reinforce the concent that there are several correct ways to solve a problem, both in the analytical approaches used and the complete resolution of the problem by processing, or raw material changes, etc. The major nroblems used in the course involve raw material or prdduit quality, storage-condition-induced changes, and packaging material interactions: some of these problems or presentedat meetings (il-13). A have beeip;blished new kind of "problem" under development for the course deals with a real situation where analytical chemicals are asked to support a program that addresses the quality of recycled materials under consideration for use in product packaging. This "problem" will illustrate a different kind of activity for which there is no clear conclusion, but instead requires implementation of a screening program in a new area. I t will also serve as an example of the important contributions of analytical chemists to environmental chemistry. During the day we also discuss the level of training required to perform different jobs. An emphasis is placed on
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Table 2.
Prerenlatlons ot the Protesslonal A n a l y t i c a l Chemists In Industry Short Course
Date
The "tramewcM' lor analytical problem solving taugM in the Professional Analytical Chemists Short Course.
pursuit of a PhD because of the flexibility that it gives the career: however. the roles of the BS and MS chemist are not understated. While the problems are being presented, the contribution of the prohlem solvers, as a function of degree, are discussed, so the students understand the different roles of the analytical chemist as a function of degree. One message from the course is that tomorrow's research leaders will have advanced degrees. (This portion of the course always elicits livelv discussion.) This course is designed to encourage students to attend eraduate school and oursue an advanced demee. We believe Lt gives an accurate picture of careers as industrial analytical chemists. so the student can make an informed decision about his.01 her career. The course has several question-andanswer periods, so the students can discuss other career related issues and clarify points that have been brought up in the course. We have given the course more than 40 times over the past eight years (Table 2) to over 1400 students. I t has been well received by students, who appreciate the insight into careers as analytical chemists and better understand the relationship between classroom activities and real world problem solving. Topics such as accuracy, precision, and calibration appear to he only scholarly pursuits until the students see these as critical to proper problem solving. The course offers relevancv to the student's academic studies which faculty members are very pleased to have their students realize. Our course addresses the shortage of analytical chemists. We encourage students to learn as much a s possible about careers as chemists. Chemistry clubs and departments should invite local scientists to discuss their careers and responsibilities, Students should get as much career information as nossible. Durine the course discussion. summer research piograms are m e h o n e d as valuable experiences for students. A n extensive resource notebook provides de384
Journal of Chemical Education
Host
Location
University of iiiinois Pittsburgh Conference Hope College Salem College FACSS Eastern Analytical Symposium SUNY at Buffalo College of Wooster North Carolina A8T State Univerrity SE Reglonal ACS Meeting FACSS Eastern Analytical Symposium Mld-Atianiic Regional ACS Meeting Universityof Wisconsin. Stevens Point Bates College Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Polytechnic Institute SE Regional ACS Meeting FACSS American Chemical Soclsty Meeting Georgia Institute of Technology Mercer College Soulhwest Regional ACS Meeting Southeast Regional ACS Meeting Eastern Analytical Symposium Bradley University University of Toledo BBlt/Wash SAS and GW University UniversiW of Colorado Eastern Analytical Symposium SE-SW Regional ACS Meeting Pacific Coast Conference University of Cincinnati Bradley University Southwest Regional ACS Meeting Midwest Regional ACS Meeting FACSS and Villanova University College of Wwster MO ACS Section and Morgan state univ.. FACSS Miami University
Champaign-Urbana. iL New York. NY Holland. MI Winston-Salem. NC Chicago. IL New York. NY Buffalo, NY Wocster, OH Greensboro, NC Atlanta. GA Boston, MA New Yon. NY Miiiersville. PA Stevens Point, Wi Lewiston. ME Richmond. VA Blacksburg. VA Orlando. FL Detroit. MI Denver, CO Atianta, GA Macon. GA Houston, TX Louisville. KY New York. NY Peoria, IL Toledo. OH Washington, OC Denver. CO New Yo*. NY Memphis. TN S m Francisco. CA Cincinnati. OH Peoria, IL Lubbock. TX Springfield. MO Philadelphia. PA Wocster, OH Baltimore. MD Philadelphia. PA Oxford, OH
tails on academic, industrial, and government research oportunities all over the United States (e.g., P&G's Summer Analvtical Research Promam. ACS Analvtical Summer Intern program, National Lahokatories' summer internships, Amoco's Summer Development Program, etc.). The course was developed and is taught by a team of Proder & Gamble analytical chemists. The authors acknowledge the contributions of "instructors" G. D. Boutilier, B. A. Charpentier, M. K. Conditt, M. J. Doyle, M. S. Greenberg, A. L. Guy, S. L. Murawski, D. Pilosof, and T. M. Thorpe to the course and this article and thank T. J. Logan for his support of the course and his helpful input to this article. Llterature Clted 1.
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5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
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Blount. H. N..III.198th American Chemical Society Meetinp 1989. Miami Beach, FL, Sentember LO-IS. G&;, K. C. Am. Sci. 1989,77,47&480. Heylin. M. Chem. En#.Nems 1990.68. 3. Krieger.J. Chem.En8.Ne~s1990,68,27-43. Zuckermsn. M. B. US.News & World Report 1989.107,68. Lopan, T.J.,Praefer & Gamble Company, personal communication, 1990. Worthy, W. Chem.Ene.News 1989,67,7-12. Kaiser, M. A,; Ullman,A. H,Anol. Chrm. 1988.60.823A-826A. Ullman,A. H. Trends Anol. Chem 1984,3,rii-liv. Thowe, T. M. J. ChmzEdur. 1986.63.237-239 Thorp,, T. M. A n d Chem. 1984.56.603A-6084. Sevenants M. R.:Sanders,R.A. Anol. Chem 1984.56.298A198A. Ullman. A. H. 9th Annual Mooting of the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies 1982. Philadolphis,PA. September 19-24.
