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EDITOR: GEORGE H. MORRISON EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202-872-4570 Teletype: 710-8220 151 Executive Editor: Josephine M. Petruzzi Associate Editors: Stuart A. BoFman, Rani A. George, Marcia S. Vogel Assistant Editors: Louise Voress, Mary D. Warner Production Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Alt Director: Alan Kahan Designer: Sharon Harris Wolfgang Production Editor: Gail M. Mortenson Circulation: Cynthia G. Smith Editorial Assistant, LabGulde: Joanne Mullican
Journals Dept., Columbus, Ohlo Associate Head: Marianne Brogan Associate Editor: Rodney L. Temos Advtsory Board Shier S. Berman, Brian S. Bidlingmeyer, Henry N. Blount, Gary D. Christian, Dennis H. Evans, Jack W. Frazer, Gary M.Hieftje, William R.Heineman, Harry S. Hertz, Roland F. Hirsch, Atsushi Mizuike, Melvin W. Redmond, Jr., Herbert L. Retcofsky, Martin A. Rudat, Wllhelm Simon, Charles L. Wilkins. Ex Officio: Donald D. Bly Instrumentation Advisory Panel: Richard S. Danchik, Thomas C. Farrar, Larry R. Faulkner, John F. Holland, F. James Holler, Peter N. Keliher, Curt Reimann, D. Warren Vidrine, Andrew T. Zander Contributing Editor, A/C Interface: Raymond E. Dessy The Analytical Approach Advisory Panel: Edward C. Duniop, Robert A. Hofstader, Wilbur D. Shults Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036
Books and Journals Dlvlsion Director: D. H. Michael Bowen Journals: Charles R. Bertsch Production: Elmer Pusey, Jr. Research and Development: Lorrin R. Garson Manuscript requirements are published in the January 1985 issue, page 395. Manuscripts for publication (4 copies) should be submitted to ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY at the ACS Washington address.
Capital Offense A subject of vital interest to our readers has been the focus of several of our editorials during the past two years, namely, the funding of research instruments for colleges and universities. The National Science Foundation has been given the responsibility of preparing periodic reports on the outlook for science and technology, and “The Outlook for Science and Technology 1985” has recently been published (Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.). The purposes of these reports are to “describe and discuss: current and emerging problems of national significance that are identified through scientific research or in which scientific or technical considerations are of major importance; and opportunities for the use of new and existing scientific and technological capabilities that can help to resolve these problems and impediments to the effective use of these capabilities.” The ultimate use of these reports is to guide federal agencies in funding an aggressive national program in basic research consistent with the resources available and the hard choices to be made in budget priorities. An outline of selected issues is presented covering the broad scope of science and technology. Of particular importance to our discipline is the section dealing with facilities and instrumentation. Their inadequacy in research universities is recognized by the Administration and the Congress. This section of the report focuses on three aspects: largescale facilities, the intensifying need for medium-scale instrumentation, and the problems raised by recent efforts to bypass normal agency procedures. It is the area of medium-scale instrumentation (costing from $100,000 to $1,000,000)that we feel is particularly critical to the future of analytical research. Purchases of these instruments inevitably entail pooling mechanisms such as institutional and regional facilities. Furthermore, most federal grants require significant cost sharing by institutions. Realistically, institutional resources are unable to meet all of the requests from their facilities for cost sharing. In addition, grants to buy instruments need to be accompanied by funds for operation and maintenance throughout their expected lifetimes. According to the report, concern for the inadequacy of advanced instrumentation for academic research will increase in the next few years. There is a significant gap in access to medium-scale, technologically advanced instrumentation between academic and industrial researchers working in the same area. Although several agencies have initiated instrumentation programs (see our May 1985 editorial), these programs are small in comparison with the magnitude of the problem. If universities are to prepare chemists for the ever-demanding needs of industry, the availability of medium-scale instruments must be addressed immediately. Otherwise we will be back to balances, beakers, and burets.
The American Chemical Society and its editors assume no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by contributors. Views expressed in the editorials are those of the editors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the American Chemical Society.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 57,
NO. 9,
AUGUST 1985
1793
