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Changes in NIH's review process In an effort to review a more homogeneous group of proposals, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) split its metallobiochemistry/analytical chemistry study section into two separate panels in July. The move is only a temporary one, however, until larger reorganization issues going on at NIH's Center for Scientific Reviews (CSR) are completed. Any permanent change in the way analytical proposals are reviewed at NIH would have to come from the Panel on Scientific Boundaries for Review which is currently examining the overall review process carried out by CSR NIH officials were reluctant to comment on the split, but did mention that it would probably make better use of the reviewers' time. Rather than having experts in enzyme catalysis sit through discussions on analytical instrumentation
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and vice versa, the two groups were divided into smaller, more focused panels, with fewer proposals to review. "I'm not convinced that it is for the better. It is different. Some proposals would benefit from this arrangement, some proposals from the previous arrangement," says Vicki Wysocki of the University of Arizona, who is chairing the analytical study section. "We previously had proposals with a strong analytical component and a strong clinical component. With the mixed study section, we had experts in both areas. Now when it is split, we will have analytical experts as main members, but we will have to bring extra people in to handle things like the clinical aspects " The reorganization of the analytical study section was initiated as a pilot program and will remain in effect indefinitely, or at least until bigger decisions have been made by the scientific boundaries panel. Phase one of its investigation, which is expected to be completed this month, focuses on develop-
Ewing receives CE award
Andrew Lr. c,wing, professor at Pennsylvania State University, reReinhard Niessner, ceived the Fredenck professor of hydrogeL^onference on Capilology, hydrochemislary Electrophoresis try, and environmental Award for outstanding analysis and head of achievements in CE. the Institute for Hydro- The award was presented at the conferchemistry at the Tech- ence, held in mid-October at Hood College nische Universitat in Frederick, MD. Ewing's group origiMiinchen (Germany), has been appointed nated amperometric detection in CE and an associate editor for Analytical Chemis- used CE for single cell analysis. Ewing's try. Niessner, the first non-U.S.-based asgroup also invented dynamic channel elecsociate editor in Analytical Chemistry's trophoresis and applied it to continuous 71-year history, will begin his duties on separations of neurotransmitters and multiJan. 1. Niessner received his doctorate ple parallel separations of DNA fragments. under the direction of Dieter Klockow from the Institut fur Spektrochemie und Tran to receive gold angewandte Spektroskopie (Germany) His research interests include classical medal analytical chemistry waste disposal the Chieu D. Tran, profeschemical interaction of xenobiotics with sor at Marquette Unisoil environmental immunoassays versity, will receive the sols and laser spectroscopy Authors 1999 Gold Medal should continue to submit their research Award of the New York maniiscripts to the Tnurnal's office in section of the Society Chapel Hill NC USA for Applied Spectroscopy at the Eastern An-
Niessner appointed associate editor
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Analytical Chemistry News & Features, November 1, 1999
ing integrated review groups or clusters of study sections. Developing the study sections themselves will take place during phase two, which is expected to begin in 2000. The entire process is likely to take several years. Britt Erickson
New analytical chemistry forum ChemWeb has launched a forum specifically for analytical chemists (http:// www.analytical.chemweb.com). The forum includes news from the field, discussion groups, and reviews from ChemWeb.com's online magazine, The Alchemist. Access to job resources, conference diaries, and journal articles are also provided. Full-text journals include Analytica Chimica Acta and the Journals of Chromatography A and B, and databases include Analytical Abstracts from the Royal Society of Chemistry.
alytical Symposium later this month in Somerset, NJ. Tran's research interests include molecular spectroscopy, thermal lens spectroscopy, chiral detection for LC, acoustooptic tunable filter (AOTF)-based rapid scanning detectors for LC and AOTFbased UV, vis, and near-IR detectors for flow injection analysis.
Armstrong receives public outreach award Daniel W. Armstrong, professor at the University of Missouri-Rolla and Analytical Chemistry's associate editor for separations, received the Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach at the ACS national meeting in New Orleans in August. Armstrong earned the award for co-hosting the half-hour, weekly radio show We're Science broadcast by National Public Radio which promotes better understanding of science and technology in dciily life Armstrong Scivs that the show is popular because 'We're not trying to force agenda or put science on a pedestal We poke good-natured fun some-
