April 1973, Vol 45, No. 4
analytical chemistry
Editor: HERBERT A. LAITINEN
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ADVISORY BOARD:Allen 3.
Bard, Fred Baumann, David F. Boltz, C. G. Enke, Henry M. Fales, Kenneth W. Gardiner Jack M. Gill, Jeanette G. Grasselli. Thee: dore Kuwana, Oscar Menis, William C. Purdy Eugene M SaUee Donald T. Sawyer, Lioyd R. Snyber, Hirold F. Walton
INSTRUMENTATION ADVISORY PANEL: Jonathan W. Amy, Richard A. Durst J. J. Kirkland, Charles E. KlopfensLin, Ronald H. Laessig Marvin Margosh-. Harry L. Pardue, Hdward J. Sloane, R a l d E. Thiers
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The Work-Study Ph.D. Program The recent description of a work-study program leading to the Ph.D. degree at Northeastern University ( C & EN, February 26, 1973, page 13) is of special interest to analytical chemists. Students selected for the program will devote their first year to graduate study emphasizing course work and their second year working in a cooperating industrial laboratory. During this period, they will take at least one chemistry course at Northeastern. They will then return to the campus on a full time basis to work on thesis research. There are obvious potential benefits of the program, both to the students and to the industries. The student broadens his experience, gains a perspective as to the role of chemists in industry, and gains a valuable contact for possible future employment. The company gets a chance to evaluate a possible future employee without making a long-term commitment, and to carry on a short-range exploratory problem that might not be feasible otherwise, and gains valuable contacts with the university staff. Specialized facilities, either a t the university or in the industrial laboratory, might be shared to advantage. Any drastic change from the traditional pattern of graduate study should be examined for possible shortcomings. Careful attention should be paid to picking an appropriate thesis research problem, preferably before the year of industrial experience, for otherwise there might be a strong temptation to carry an industrial problem into an academic environment. This is not to say that there is a sharp demarcation between industrial and academic problems, but that the role of the university should be to contribute to basic knowledge rather than to solve specific problems. Of the various fields of chemistry, analytical chemistry appears to be best suited to a work-study program, because many analytical problems have both applied and basic aspects. In principle, the work-study program appears most appropriate to a university located in or near a large city, to ensure the continuous contact that appears essential to the full success of the program. We shall watch with interest to see the results of this experiment as evaluated from the viewpoints of industry, university, and the students themselves.
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For submission of manuscripts, see
page 365 A
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 45, NO. 4 , APRIL 1973
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