A N A L Y T I C A L CH EM1S T R Y WALTER J. MURPHY, Editor
Merck Graduate Fellowship-Practical ANY of
Results
our readers will recall the famous March recipients-Paul S. Farrington, John T. Byrne, Charles 1947 editorial entitled “The Profession of AnaN. Reilly, Donald L. Petitjean, and Donald H. Wilkins -but also on the men who guided their work-E. H. lytical Chemist.” I n it, four very specific recommendations were put forth to help advance the profession and Swift, L. B. Rogers, B.Howell Furman, W, J. Blaedel, and G. Frederick Smith. The sixth recipient, Arnold to obtain for it the proper recognition it deserves in top J‘I. Hartley, is studying under James J . Lingane. academic, industrial, and management circles. One of the four proposals suggested that industry Several of the men who have received a Merck Felestablish graduate fellowships. Merck & Co., Inc., lowship in Analytical Chemistry have commented, and we are pleased to print excerpts from their remarks. Itahway, N. J., immediately offered to establish the “The fellowship was of great assistance to me as I l\Iercsk Graduate Fellowship in Analytical Chemistry and requested the ~ I E R I C A XCHEMICALSOCIETYto completed my thesis work, and I hope I will be able to administer it. continue t o contribute to the field of analytical chemistry. The existence of the fellowship should certainly The program has now been in operation for 6 years assist in attracting competent students into this very andit is possible to evaluatewhat it has done for the field. important work.” In evaluating the results to date, it is important to keep in mind the objectives set forth a t the time the “The fellowship meant (and still does) a great deal t o Merck Graduate Fellowship in Analytical Chemistry me and I hope the Merck people will see fit to continue this service.” was established. “The fellowship will be awarded to that applicant “I feel quite fortunate to have been one of the recipiwho the Selection Committee believes will contribute ents of the Merck fellowship and wish to thank sincerely those who made it possible. It certainly helped most to the advancement of the theory and practice of analytical chemistry during the tenure of the fellomhip me to complete my education and I urge that efforts be made t o continue it.” and the course of his future career.” Six fellows have been selected to date. Five have These eloquent tributes surely make superfluous completed their doctoral work and four of them have any words we might add. The science of analytical chemistry has taken on an even greater role of imporbeen employed one or more years. How successfully tance than it has held in any period in the history of the original aim has been met is demonstrated by the science, greater even than the period when alchemy was records of these recipients. This study, just completed gradually supplanted by modern concepts of chemistry by the executive secretary’s office, indicates very clearly and chemists were mostly concerned with determining that it would have been most difficult, indeed, probably the constituents of natural products. impossible to select a more competent group of young people for the honor. If further progress is to be made in analysis, we must have research analysts well trained to carry on successOf the five recipients who have completed their docfully both fundamental and applied research. As toral work, two are teaching and three are in industry. analysis becomes more complex, the greater the variety ilside from their theses, the five have authored some 20 papers, resulting directly from the fellowship reof training these specialists must have; their training search, of which 15 have appeared in ANALYTICAL must not only encompass many subjects, including ones CHEMISTRY and one is in the process of being revielved. not usually classified as chemical, but more than a mere I n addition, Merck fellows in analytical chemistry have familiarity with these subjects is necessary. Depth as authored 12 additional papers. Most of these have well as variety is required. The accomplishments to appeared in ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY date of those whose doctoral training has been made or are currently possible by the Merck Fellowship in Analytical Chemisbeing considered for publication. Obviously, the work of these five young analysts has been most fruitful of try have set a wonderful pattern-one that constitutes a great challenge in the future. We are delighted t o rehigh quality research results. port that Merck has once again renewed the fellowship. Great praise should be bestowed not only on the five -
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