Education Gets Boost—and Blast - C&EN Global Enterprise (ACS

THE CHEMISTRY and chemical engineering departments at the University of Massachusetts took on a new look as they moved to the school's latest showpiec...
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EDUCATION

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M O R E AND M O R E , electronics firms look t o Fisher for high-purity chemicals in bulk to expedite sensitive manufac­ t u r i n g operations. R e a s o n : t h e F i s h e r C h e m i c a l M a n u f a c t u r i n g Division i s America's largest p l a n t devoted exclu­ sively t o the production of high-purity chemicals. Only Fisher's air-condi­ t i o n e d , rigidly-controlled p r o d u c t i o n facilities, modern packaging, and care­ ful l a b analyses can assure dependable chemicals at prices comparable to lesser grades. Full stocks in t h e 7 cities indi­ c a t e d * below. ALL high-grade chemicals required for electronics are available from Fisher. To cite a few: Acetic Acid Acetone Carbon Tetrachloride Hydrofluoric Acid Hydrogen Peroxide 30% Methyl Alcohol Nitric Ac*d Isopropyl alcohol Sodium Carbonate

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POLYMER PROPERTIES. D r . R. S. Stein studies polymer iilms, using a d v a n c e d re­ search tools installed i n n e w chemistry labs a t the University of Massachusetts

Education Gets Boost—and Blast University of Massachusetts opens new chemistry labs, hears A C S p r e s i d e n t criticize o u t m o d e d science t e a c h i n g JL H E CHEMISTRY and chemical engi­ neering departments a t t h e University of Massachusetts took on a n e w look as they moved to the school's latest showpiece: a just-opened, $2.25 million addition to the Goessmann Chemistry Laboratory- T h e new wings provide: • H e a d q u a r t e r s for t h e general chem­ istry a n d chemical engineering depart­ ments, plus 16 staff offices. • Three frosh chemistry laboratories w i t h combined capacity of nearly 1300 students • Organic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry laboratories • A l a r g e unit-operations laboratory, chemical engineering projects labora­ tory, c o m p u t a t i o n s room, and nuclear engineering laboratory—all in ehemical engineering • A radiochemistry laboratory, g e a r e d for separations a n d procedures

at microcurie levels, a n d a radiochemi­ cal counting room with five scales and auxiliary equipment for Geiger, propor­ tional, gas flow, a n d scintillation counting Floor space in the n e w addition runs about 65,000 square feet. I t brings the chemistry department a n d most of chemical engineering u n d e r o n e roof, says Professor Walter S. Richie, chem­ istry department head. O t h e r high lights of the n e w ad­ dition: a departmental library, the Peters Lecture Auditorium (named after Dr. Charles A. Peters, a long-time U M chemistry professor), a glassblowing room, two shops, stockrooms, and five classrooms. T h e new sections are heavily stocked with special research instruments and equipment. There's a Nuclear-Chicago subcritical reactor with auxiliary gear for various types of counting; a single

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channel gamma ray spectrometer; and a Norelco x-ray spectrometer for photo­ graphic, Geiger counter, and powder camera data presentation. The Norelco is also equipped to program automatic azimuthal and radial scanning of poly­ mer films by the Geiger tube. Three different light-scattering in­ struments—wide-angle, low-angle, and a wide and low combination—are used to sttidy spherolite structure of poly­ mers. A fourth light-scattering appara­ tus is used to investigate depolariza­ tion of light scattered b y gases and vapors. In addition, the new instrument list includes two radio-frequency spectrom­ eters—one t o r high pulse, t h e other for a steady-state recording radiofrequency srpectrometer; an infrared spectrometer; a recording UV spectro­ photometer; and a 1.5 meter concave grating spectrograph. • Spirit of Science. During opening ceremonies, chemical education fell under the critical and experienced eyes of Dr. John C. Bailar, Jr., President of the American Chemical Society. Main problems of chemical education, h e be­ lieves, are those of general education: instilling in the student a real desire to learn; teaching him to think critically and creatively and to speak and write effectively. Kducators must teach "the spirit of science," Dr. Bailar says. Its chief characteristic: the realization that w e know so little. "Our knowledge is not final but is constantly growing and, more important, constantly changing," he explains. There a r e two ways to teach this— through either the historical or the re­ search approach. Many educators shrug off the historical method, saying that there is so much new knowledge that they have no time to teach what people used to think. But, Dr. Bailar points out, the theories of today have superceded those of yesterday. And they, in turn, will be superceded by those of tomorrow, even though today's seem perfectly logical to us. "We must overcome the student's reluctance to express new ideas—a re­ luctance stemming from a fear that he will be laughed at," Dr. Bailar urges. The research approach teaches the student t o be observant, to think boldly and creatively, and to be critical. If an experiment doesn't conform to theory, perhaps the theory may be wrong. In college, solving a research

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EDUCATION

DANGERS of launching a NEW PRODUCT Sneil Research can help overcome them H e r e ' s h o w , in s o m e t y p i c a l case histories o f Snell clients: Product Research a n d Development T o x i c o l o g y — O n e of the largest frozen —A few years ago Snell was retained to food companies began getting complaints on the flavor of one of their green vege­ develop new products, applications, and tables. Since hundreds of thousands of markets for sugar. Extensive research dollars were at stake, they consulted and development work by Snell resulted in the creation of a new synthetic deter­ Sneil to find out what was wrong. Snell by analyzing tests, and checking on the gent—based on sugar! farm, was able t o prove that the taste— Product Application—A Snell client in actually toxic—was due to a new type of the paper industry, for whom we h a d insecticide sprayed on the fields hundreds developed a fine additive, wanted to of yards away on a windy day long before explore uses in other fields. Unfortunately, the harvest! their highly qualified staff's experience Engineering—A large midwestern firm was limited to the one field. Snell, with desired t o produce its own brand of experts in practically every product field, instant coffee, to possess outstanding found the new product has potentialities flavor, body, and bouquet. They engaged as both a good emulsiner and a paint Snell to design their extraction line, which plasticizer. Only the very largest manu­ is now economically producing a superior facturing companies can duplicate the product, and have since doubled capacity. breadth of experience and background Since t h a t time, two additional plants the Snell "brain-trust" of technical ex­ have been modified under our supervision perts can offer you! to increase production and improve prod­ uct characteristics. Product improvement — One Snell What's Your Product Problem?— client found their product, an adhesive Whatever it is, and whatever your prod­ bandage, slipping in quality. Tape was uct field—chemicals, chemical specialties, going gooey in storage on druggists' personal products, pulp and paper, pro­ shelves. Snell research helped this client tective coatings, plastics, textiles, foods, bring his product quality u p to equal the petroleum, rubber—Snell has men who best on the market, and retain his share "know t h e score" in that field, and who of sales. can work with you creatively and profit­ Product Evaluation—A Snell brewery ably in developing, producing, protecting, client wanted to expand production and and marketing new ideas. This broad take advantage of a more efficient pro­ experience can be decisive in protecting duction technique b u t feared the taste of not only your ideas, b u t also t h e thou­ the beer might suffer. Snell food tech­ sands of dollars you spend developing nologists, taste panels, and engineers them. And the cost of Snell service is less checked the new process and hundreds of than you might imagine! Half the jobs samples of beer made under new and old we do cost less than $1000! systems, recommended the switch t o the SEND FOR more profitable m o d e r n process. The FREE BOOKLET change went unnoticed by the customers, On Research Development & and sales continued t o climb. Testing "SERVICES FOR YOU." I t tells you how Snell Market Research—-A Snell client with can serve YOU! No obliga­ a waste product h a d briefly considered tion, of course. Foster D. Snell,Inc.,Dept.CE-ll, 29 W. building a plant to use it to manufacture 15th Street, N . Y. 11, Ν . Υ. another product; b u t had given up after their own brief survey showed the new product t o be already overproduced. When * * * : they consulted Snell for checking, how­ ever, Snell predicted there would be a N e w Y o r k , Ν. Υ . shortage within three years. The client Baltimore, Md. waited two years, built the plant—and B a i n b r ï d g e , N. Y . now has a profitable new product instead W o r c e s t e r , Mass. of a waste!

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p r o b l e m o r publishing a p a p e r is seco n d a r y to developing scientists, h e stresses. • Revamp Curricula. M a n y schools retain about t h e same curricula from year t o year, D r . Bailar points o u t . T h e changing importance of subjects, elements, chemical groups, a n d t h e like should bring with them a continuous re-evaluation of curricula to p u t subjects in proper perspective a n d i n logical order for effective teaching, h e believes. D r . Bailar agrees that this poses problems with textbooks, transfer students, a n d , p e r h a p s t h e biggest obstacle, t h e rigidity of teachers' minds a n d training. But t h e need is a real one and must be faced u p to, h e says.

• The American Society for Engineering Education has published a n e w c o d e of ethics, hoping to discourage cutthroat competition among employers b i d d i n g for engineering graduates. It is sending "Recruiting Practices a n d Procedures," which is endorsed b y t h e Engineer's Council for Professional D e velopment, to employers and placement officers. F o r copies ( 2 5 cents e a c h ) , write \V. L. Collins, ASEE, University of Illinois, Urbana, 111. • Canada's National Research Council offers 10O postdoctorate fellowships, open to all nationalities, for 1960-61. About 4 0 are in t h e council's labs in Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Halifax; 10 are in t h e C a n a d i a n D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture; 10 in t h e D e p a r t m e n t of Mines a n d Technical Surveys; 10 in Atomic E n e r g y of C a n a d a ; a n d 30 in labs of C a n a d i a n universities. Closing data of t h e competition is F e b . 15, 1960. Address inquiries to Awards Officer, N R C , Ottawa 2 , Can. • Manufacturing Chemists' Association, 1 8 2 5 Connecticut Ave., N . W . , Washington 9, D.C., has published the second edition of "An Industry Helps O u r Schools"—the 1959-60 report on the aid-to-education program of the chemical industry. • Opportunities for college faculty members to work on the research staffs of Oak R i d g e Laboratories are described in a n e w O R I N S brochure. For copies, write University Relations, O a k Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies, P.O. Box 117, Oak Ridge, Tenn.