EDITORIAL
Funding Chemical Research in Universities and Colleges One of the key attributes for success in academic life is the ability to obtain financial support for research. During the past few decades this has not presented much of a problem for researchers of high quality, but in the current GrammRudman era, it is increasingly difficult for investigators to find adequate support for their research. Although the academic community has increased efforts to obtain industrial support, the results have been rather limited, and government agencies remain the only realistic source for funding. In view of the vital importance of external research support, the growing number of investigators, and the evergreater competition for t h e limited funds available, an individual investigator must make every effort to be as knowledgeable as possible about potential government sources of support. Recently I had the opportunity to attend a seminar by Dr. George M. Wyman, adjunct professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina and former director of the Chemical and Biological Sciences Division of the U.S. Army Research Office. In his talk, "Funding Chemical Research in Universities and Colleges," he reviewed the potential sources of government funds for chemical research and offered useful tips on obtaining further information on specific programs. Much of the information is normally accumulated at larger research universities in their offices of sponsored
programs, but investigators at smaller universities and colleges should profit from Wyman's detailed presentation. Government agencies that provide funds for chemical research include the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the National Institutes of Health, with a total budget for chemical research this year of about $250 million. It is essential that the investigator identify the appropriate divisions and programs in each agency and the program directors responsible for areas of mutual interest. Much of this background information is available by writing directly to the respective agencies. It should be noted, however, that these activities are continuously in a state of change and constant updating is necessary, particularly in view of fluctuating annual budgets. Unfortunately, a significant amount of an investigator's time must be spent writing proposals, thus it is important to have as much pertinent information as possible readily available, to avoid wasted effort. In the best of all worlds, a simplified system of awarding research funds would allow investigators more time to concentrate their efforts on performing research.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 59, NO. 3, FEBRUARY 1, 1987 · 133 A
