Editors' Column University Instrument Funding The dearth of state-of-the-art scien tific instrumentation in academic lab oratories has lately been the subject of much concern. The effort to improve this situation has included studies by the Interagency Working Group on University Research Instrumentation, led by the National Science Founda tion, and an ad hoc Working Group on Scientific Instrumentation of the Na tional Research Council (NRC). These studies were described in a recent issue of Physics Today (July 1982, pp. 55-57), and the results of the NRC study have just been published in a volume entitled "Revitalizing Labora tory Instrumentation." According to the NRC report, "There was a consensus among the participants in the working group's university caucus that the problem of research instrumentation in universi ties seriously threatens the health of the scientific enterprise in the United
States—in the short term by its direct impact on scientific research, and in the long term by its effect on the training of scientists." The report's recommendations included the fol lowing: • The use of block funding (as op posed to funding of specific experi ments) should be encouraged. But safeguards are necessary since there is a tendency for administrators to allo cate funds from block grants to scien tists who have difficulty obtaining support from outside sources, often, according to the report, "less success ful researchers." • Universities must show a greater willingness to use some of the alterna tive financing arrangements that are available, such as bond issues and taxexempt commercial borrowing. • University business officers and ad ministrators need to learn ways to manage their resources better.
se»qnen'tial A flexible ICP System with true internal reference
• Equipment use must be optimized through sharing arrangements within and between universities. Other recommendations included changes in government procedures and tax provisions to reduce the bur den of investment in new instrumen tation. Special one-time instrumenta tion funding initiatives by government agencies were also encouraged. The Department of Defense, for instance, has requested an additional $30 mil lion in its 1983 fiscal year budget for university instrumentation needed in defense-related academic studies. This money is to be the first installment in a proposed five-year $150-million in strument funding program. The NRC report on "Revitalizing Laboratory Instrumentation" is avail able for $13.50 from the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C. 20418. Stuart A. Borman
The JY-38 Sequential Spectroanalyzer features a unique true internal reference for highly precise ICP analysis. The internal reference utilizes our H-20 Monochromator to open an independent channel for simultaneous referencing. A ratio is established between a "spiked" stan dard and the elements being analyzed. Computer software in cluded in the internal reference package offers easy data acquisition, computation, and instrument manip ulation. If you need an instrument designed for applications requiring the ulti mate in flexibility and performance, we will send you complete details on our JY-38 and our full line of ICP Systems. Instruments SA, Inc., 173 Essex Avenue, Metuchen, N.J. 08840. 201/494-8660, Telex 844-516. In Europe, Jobin Yvon, Division d'In struments SA, 16-18 Rue du Canal, Θ1160 Longjumeau, France, Tel. 909.34.93 Telex JOBYVON 698882. JOBIN YVON Instruments SA, Inc. J-Y Optical Systems Division
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 54, NO. 12, OCTOBER 1982 ·
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