Table III. Suggestions to Improve the Supply of Analytical Chemists • Increase industrial support of fellowships designated for analytical graduate students and faculty • Improve the image of chemists • Increase university salaries • Increase government funding of research in analytical chemistry • Improve understanding/collaboration between university and industrial analytical chemists • Increase summer employment for analytical students • Increase the image of analytical chemistry in university departments and start up an alytical divisions in those departments that don't have them • Improve the quality of analytical research • Provide more funds to recruit analytical graduate students
problem resting on the shoulders of their state legislatures. Theoretically, at least, if we can upgrade the public image of chemists in society, we stand a chance of influencing those with control over university salaries. T h e fourth most popular suggestion was to get more government research funds allocated for research in analyti cal chemistry. Maybe the critical im portance of analytical chemists in set ting and enforcing regulations will lead to the recognition t h a t better an alytical methods are needed for more effective regulations and t h a t funda mental research in analysis will pro vide more of the societal benefits t h a t research in " p u r e r " forms of chemistry has made possible. T h e fifth item suggests an improved understanding between industrial and academic chemists, taking the form of collaborative research efforts, more debate on what the current issues are and how to approach them, more in dustrial consulting for professors, and some discussion of what kinds of training industry looks for in graduate students. On this latter item, the need for one analytical specialty vs. another (e.g., chromatography vs. atomic spec trometry) varies across industry and changes with time, but personal skills in communication, problem solving, project planning, and broad technical competence seem to be universal and independent of time. T h e data don't offer any more elaboration on this idea. T h e sixth most common suggestion is for more undergraduate and gradu ate student summer job employment in industry. Summer jobs are most ef fective for undergraduates, graduating seniors, and maybe some first-year graduate students, but after that, the disruptive effect that it has on their research takes away most of the ad vantage. This suggestion will probably increase the number of chemistry stu dents opting for analytical, and addi tionally, may bring more undergrade into chemistry.
T h e seventh item is really self-ex planatory and most of the earlier sug gestions serve to address this sugges tion, either generally or specifically. Only one respondent advocated im proving the quality of analytical re search, and my interpretation of this response is t h a t "success breeds suc cess." T h e last item proposes more funds be made available to use in recruiting analytical graduate students, without suggesting whether the funds come from the d e p a r t m e n t or an outside source.
T h e forecast for the second half of the decade from Table II is less cer tain and seems to be dependent on the static or declining enrollment in chemistry. T h e suggestions on im proving the supply are, individually, challenges to each of us to develop a workable plan. T h e pressure on indus try's funds for more support are very similar to those on university salaries. One thing is reasonably certain and it doesn't cost anything—we have to de liver a clear message to undergradu ates t h a t jobs will be available in ana lytical chemistry. Unless we are successful in increas ing t h e supply of analytical chemists, the professional resources to develop new products and innovations will di minish. This will occur because indus try will be forced to use this valuable resource to meet growing regulatory needs rather than as part of the re search effort needed to improve our nation's productivity. References
(1) Hemingway, R. E., Anal. Chem., 52, 876A (1980). (2) Behrens, E. L., Anal. Chem., 52, 776 A (1980). Presented at Second Chemical Congress of the North American Continent, Las Vegas, Nev., Aug. 25, 1980.
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 52, NO. 12, OCTOBER 1980 · 1295 A
