The Professional Training of Chemists Prepared by David K. Lavallee, Colorado State University The symposium concerning the professional training of chemists addressed aspects of hoth undergraduate and graduate study in chemistry which might be modified to give students better preparation for industrial careers. The symposium was divided into two segments, one consisting of a series of presentations by industrial chemists (Pat Figueras from Kodak, Alan McClelland of Du Pont, and Philip Schenkenherg of Monsanto), and a second in which a panel, consistingof the above speakers, William B. Cookof Colorado State, Smith Holt of the University of Georgia, and myself, responded to questions from the audience. The response was so enthusiastic that an informal question and answer session was held later in the day. Earlier in the week several speakers noted that the majority of new chemists entering the job market in the next decade will be hired by industry or government with only a small percentage nnding academic employment. I t was noted that few college instructors have had extensive industrial experience. With these facts in mind, the symposium speakers undertook the task of informing the audience of facets of the educational background of potential employees that would make their careers more satisfying to themselves and to their employers. Pat Figueras emphasized ( I ) the advantages of broadly based education. She suggested that some background in fields related to chemistry, such as chemical engineering or computer science, and in fields that influence the role of the chemist in the industrial hierarchy, such as economics, marketing, or finance, won!d help the new industrial chemist acclimate to the new environment of industry after spending many years in educational institutions. Being open to new challenges and showing a willingness to enter new areas rather than restricting oneself to a narrow area of specialization were stressed as advantageous and sought-after qualities of the potential industrial chemist. Her own career was used as a good illustration of the advantages of flexibility. She started out as a bench chemist doing organic chemistry-the sort of activity most students would expect to he their role throughout an industrial career. Later, however, she moved into the area of computer science and is now a supervisor in charge of operations including hoth computer science and finance, areas which most chemistry students might assume to be the domain of specialists with educations in computer science or business rather than chemistry. Other desirable traits that Figueras urged chemical educators to help develop in their students are the ability to communicate well, safety consciousness, and a positive attitude toward continuing education. Her contention that poor communication skills limit the effectiveness of many new employees echoes the statements of dozens of industrial chemists who have participated in the Roadshow programs and Industrial Forums of the Younger Chemists Committee of the ACS. The ability to inform supervisors of results and of plans for further work in hoth written and oral form is es-
sential t o the progress of a new chemist. We were urged to encourage our students to take courses in technical jour&sm to give adequate preparation rather than to rely on the typical courses in literature or creative writing. If no appropriate course is available, she suggested that laboratory reports he used as a vehicle for training students in technical writine. When seminars are used for training students in oral presentation, we are urged to give some instruction in proper speaking techniques and t o give thorough critical reviews of student presentations. ~ i ~ u e rpointed as out that good safety practices are essential in industry and that stringent government regulations are increasine thz need for safetv consciousness. Our role in this regard is to emphasize safety in our laboratory courses. In discussing the need for continuing education, she indicated that new skills must he develbped throughout a career and that continuing education courses can fill gaps in areas that were not available for study a t the employee's college, that the employee did not elect to take, or which have become important as the result of new developments in chemistry. She oointed out that ACS short courses and audio courses are excellent means of continuing education in addition t o traditional college courses and industrial training sessions. Alan McClelland (2) drew upon data compiled in the ACS Report entitled, "Professional in Chemistry-1976," the introduction of which he coauthored. He pointed out that the number of BS chemists has been rising steadily for the past twenty years hut that the number of &chemists entering the job market in chemistry has been nearly constant so that the percentage being directly employed as chemists has been declining. The number of new PhDs is in a slight decline from the hieh in 1970 of 2200 to 1500 last vear. Out of 1500. ~c~lerlan expects d about 250 to find acahemic employment and the remainder to obtain emolovment in industrv and government. He estimated that inhustrial demand should be
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Volume 56, Number 1. January 1979 1 5
about 1000chemistry PhDs annually for the next several years leading to a reasonable balance of supply and demand. A disturbing trend that he noted is the increasing percentage of new PhDs that accept a post-doctoral research position rather than obtaining employment directly after obtaining the PhD degree. About 43% of chemistry PhDs took a postdoctoral position last year and as many as 48% have chosen this course recently (1975). Delaying entry into the job market is by and large not helpful for an industrial chemist and a series of post-doctoral positions is a definite disadvantage, McClelland stated. The attributes that McClelland stressed for prospective industrial emnlovees are (1)a sound. broad knowledge of chemistry, (2; aknowledge'of allied 'subjects (e.g. mithematics, statistics, chemical engineering), (3) favorable personal characteristics (ability to interact well with others, enthusiasm. a record of beine able to organize, and (4) an attitude that fits in with the indistrial of "iew (interest in the industrial process, acclimation to the conceut of ~ r o f i as t a measureof SUCCPS).Ry and large, he stn1e;l thn;industria~ ernulovws haw hcen si~tiitiedwith our students' knowledge of chemistry, with the exception of knowledge about the chemistry of macromolecules. Training in polymer chemistry can be done by way of examples and use of laboratory experiments that involve macromolecules rather than by the addition of a new course in an already crammed curriculum, he noted. An important change that we can make in our training of chemists is to help them develop a positive attitude toward industrial employment. McClelland stressed that a proper attitude can he very helpful during the industrial interview of a prospective employee. The transcript and resume will tell manv things. to tackle " , but enthusiasm., vieor. - , and a willineness " new problems is often best judged during the interview. Philip Schenkenberg, who is head of PhD recruiting for Monsanto Company, provided (3)a definition of industrial chemical research which can help students to understand the nature of their future careers. His definition of industrial chemical research is: targeted team projects bounded by economic, technical, and time constraints. The targets may be set by the chemist (generally one advanced in the research hierarchy of the company), by consumer demand, by society (for example, as a result of regulations), or by the marketing departme&. Team projects involve management, staff scientists, technicians, and service groups who must all be coordinated to successfullv achieve the obiective. All . uroiects " are bounded. Economic bounds are, of course, necessary to the existence and prosperity of the company. Technical hounds can involve, for example, safety and environmental regulations as well as the capability of present technology. Timing is important not only in the cost of labor and use of capital equipment hut also in marketing. A product can he developed either too early or too late to be successfully marketed. Schenkenberg pointed out that of several economic driving forces-free science which relies on new discoveries, market-led periods with response to consumer demands, and resource manaeement and husbandrv that depends on efficiency and conserv~tion-the last is likkly to be operative for the students we will train in the future. Several important areas were explored during the question and answer session held after the formal presentations. In answer to a question about how instructors a t institutions which are not part of the recruiting circuit could aid their students in finding employment, several suggestions were offered. One approach is for the instructors to make some industrial contacts-especially with chemists in firms located
near the school. ACS local section meetings can provide an opportunity for academic chemists to meet industrial chemists and learn about the operation of local industry and its needs for new employees. Instructors can also encouiage students to take the initiative bv investieatine " -.ootential em~lovers . . and making arrangements to visit on their own-as Schenkenberg stated, "I've never refused to talk withsomeone whois actually there a t my office and is serious about employment." McClelland suggested that writing letters can be successful but that the student should realistically expect to have to send a large number of letters to elicit a positive response. He suggested that students use every available tactic and "look for a job with a shotgun, not a rifle." He also suggested that a number of schools might get together and invite recruiters for a specific day so that the recruiters could he guaranteed enough interviewees to make their trip worthwhile. Another service that should be mentioned is the employment clearinghouse of the ACS which operates at national and some u regional ACS meetings. The audience res~ondedenthusiastically to a comment that if industry experts :I st:~hlrsupply oinhle chemistry grxluatrs there should nln, hc. a euaranree oistablr drmand. The panel mtmlx:rs agreed that thii iden is appealing; hur realistically demand u,ill depend on thr wmomv, and rorerasting thr nred for chemists i s a s difficult as forecasting the economy as a whole. Schenkenberg mentioned that Monsanto is trying to level out its hirine to avoid lean hirine-cvcles. . However. such policies are more likely to result from a desire to achieve a more even aee distribution on the staff of a particular firm rather than as an attempt to influence the demand for chemists on a national scale. In reference to a symposium the previous day on trends in courses offered in typical chemical curricula, a member of the audience noted that the topics in organic chemistry that appear to be diminishing in coverage (chemistry of macromolkcu~esand polyfunctihnal moleiules) in deference to more theoretical topics seem to he those which industrial chemists, would like to emphasize. McClelland agreed with the observation, noting that most industrial chemistry involves macromolecules. He also stated that most chemical production results from sequences of not more than two chemical steps so that catalysis is becoming increasingly important and should receive greater attention. Later in the afternoon an informal discussion was held a t which the panel members answered further questions about emnlovment . . .D I O S.D ~ C ~inS the future, the role of liberal arts courses, means of increasing academic-industrial cooperation and several other topics. Bibliography (1) Professional Training: The Undergraduate Years, Patricia A. Figueras, Board of Directors, American Chemical Society, Eastman Kodak Comnany, Research Laboratories, Rochester, NY 14650. (2) Education of Chemists for Industrial Careers, Alan L. ~
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Conies of the book of extended ahtracts of oaoers . . oresented . at thc Filth Biennial Contermwe may he obtain~dfmm .I. .I. I.nycwrki, Department of Chem~try,rh? ilnivcrdy dTcxas, A u i t ~ nl . '? 7 C( 1 2 , for fi5. )rwstpad.
6 1 Journal of Chemical Education
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MeClelland, Central R&D Dept., Experimental Station, E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Wilrnington, DE 19898. (3) Graduate Training and Industrial Employment, Philip R. Schenkenberg,Monsanto Company, 800 N. Lindhergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63166.
