Work-study doctoral programs in chemistry at Northeastern University

Northeastern University,. Boston. Massachusetts 02115. Northeaarern Ilni\wairy has heen a pioneer and a leader in CO-O~QT~I~VQ educarion in the llnite...
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Brookings, and 3) The University of Maine, Portland. We are interested in communicatine with other Dersons in regard to 1) the development of other BS programs in chemical technology or applied chemistry, 2) development of courses for use in such programs, 3) development of industrially related or applied experiments in collaboration with an industrial consultant, and 4) testing of such experiments developed elsewhere in local courses. Course ontlines, experiments written to date, and other details on this program are available upon request. 1

To whom inquiries should he addressed.

Work-Study Doctoral Programs in Chemistry at Northeastern univ&sity Bill C. Giessen, Geoffrey Davies, Philip W. Le Quesne, a n d K a r l Weiss Northeastern University, Boston. Massachusetts 02115 Northeaarern Ilni\wairy has heen a pioneer and a leader in C O - O ~ Q T ~ I ~educarion VQ in the llnited %ares fune, a t the end of the third academic quarter. By this time he will have been formally admitted into the doctoral program along with the students who have opted for the traditional PhD program. He will have satisfied the same academic requirements as they; and like them, he will have interviewed faculty memhers in his area of academic interest with a view to- choosing a research advisor. But since he will now he out a t work for 12-15 months, his choice of a research advisor is regarded as provisional and subject to revocation on either side-a chemical engagement rather than a marriage! During the internship, the students earn, on an average, $10,000 to $12,000 per year. They are treated like permanent employees a t an equivalent level. The student intern will he an integral part of a research and development effort, and will have gained experience in all of the particular experimental techniques employed in solving the research prohlem. More importantly, he will have participated in the research process as it is seen in the applied situation, and he will have learned to perform his work efficiently and productively. These are henefits which we consider highly important; although a good graduate student will perform in this way in whatever academic program he is working, we have been extremely impressed with the way in which the internship has conferred these henefits upon those who have taken part in it. The Work-Study interns have returned to the Chemistry Department highly motivated to do their PhD research, and well prepared psychologically to approach it. Also, during the internship year, the student will have continued his academic course work a t Northeastern, with one course per quarter. Since all our graduate courses are given in the evening, this poses no problem of scheduling. It also enables the student to maintain contact with the academic life of the Department. This contact is further strengthened by the Work-Study Committee, and the student's potential thesis research director, who during his internship year visit him a t work and discuss his progress with him and with his employers. These contacts have proven valuable to the student, and also the faculty and the department; we understand also that they have been valued by the supervisory personnel a t the internship lahoratories. At the end of the internship phase of 12-15 months, the student returns to the Chemistry Department a t Northeastern. He has gained, in direct terms, a year of work on an industrial salary, through working on a problem in applied chemical research. Further, he has taken three or four more of his academic courses. He has learned productive lahoratory research in an environment very different from that of the university-a situation which is psychologically heneficial for many students a t this stage in their long education. The financial rewards and the feeling of personal independence during the internship, together with the feeling of doing a worthwhile job in a different environment, have motivated students to ambitious plans to excel in their academic thesis work and to embark without delay upon their own professional careers. We believe that the future will show that these henefits will offset, in part, the only cost of the program to the student-the 12-15 months of time of the internship. The University and the Department benefit from the program in welcoming back students with a different kind of experience and motivation, which beneficially affects the whole graduate program. Because the internship usually involves a definite block of time a t the end of the first academic year, professors directing research are able to plan for the students doing their thesis research after their return, as would students in the traditional PhD program, allowance having been made for the time away from the DeVolume 53, Number 3,March 1976 / 149

partment. Here again there is to be considered the bonus of exnerience and motivation which the student has acquired during his internship. Industrial lahoratories who have partici~atedin the program o w enrhusi3sti~-ah~r1lr its htmetits for them: rhey h a w tcrund the students enthus~ajtir,read\ to lwrn, nard-wurking, and productive. Moreover, very importantly, favorable relationships between the students on internships and the Work-Study employers can lay the groundwork for consideration of a future permanent position once the P h D is completed-a mutually beneficial possibility in these present times.

Illinois Benedictine College-Internship in Chemistry

Program

J a m e s J. Hazdra Illinois Benedictine College Lisle, 60532 Objectives and Benefits The primary objective of our internship program is to encourage mutually beneficial relationships between industrial laboratories and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Primary benefits would be the development of professional relationships and exchange of technology. Industrv and the Chemistrv. Department have much to in. terchange through cooperative programs. Programs in industry remain a t the frontiers of sciences and technology and could be substantially supported by colleges, while the chemistry departments could acquire a more realistic assessment of the needs of industry relative to innovating new scholastic programs. Description of Program at Illinois Benedictine College The program involves one or more college students who t Dart will be assigned a research or development ~ r o i e c as of his optional requirement for obtaining h i s h e r undergraduate degree from IBC. The project will be designed, scheduled, monitored, and graded by an individual approved hv IBC and the corporation. The work will be conducted in the lahorarory a r w of rhe approvrd r