Southwest Retort, Volume 44, Number [12], March 1991 Page: 5
12 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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FORTY FOURTH YEAR
The Changing Profession
of Chemistry
Part 1. The Industrial Chemist
by
John K. Borchardt
Shell Development Co.In the last twenty years, the profession of
chemistry has undergone major changes. Still
other changes are in progress. Recently, there
have been many discussions of the chemical
profession in the "ACS Comments" column
and the letters section of C&EN. Several good
points have been made. However, I believe the
authors are missing a basic point: the
paradigms or basic patterns of the profession
of chemistry are changing.
Adapting to these changing paradigms
will help the individual chemist have a
rewarding and full career. So what are these
paradigms?
The first is now about twenty years old,
well established, and yet still not accepted by
many industrial chemists. Industry is now
more willing to reduce R&D and lay off even
capable scientists and engineers. It is doubtful
that this paradigm will change. Indeed, a
Business Week article, (November 26, 1990
issue) indicates this paradigm is spreading towestern Europe. Despite fears of a future
shortage of chemists, this paradigm continues
strong in the U.S. On page 15 of the January
14, 1991 issue of C&EN is a notice that one
of the largest U.S. chemical companies is
going to cut 475 of 1600 professional staff
jobs. The cutbacks appear to include R&D. If
not enough people take early retirement, there
will be layoffs.
All this sounds grim. ACS has fought
this paradigm with little success. However,
"Professional Employment Guidelines" and
the Professional Relations Committee inves-
tigations of layoffs have at least made the
process of losing one's job more humane for
many. With the emphasis on short term
profits, American industry continues to regard
R&D as an expense not an investment. Yet
there are some evolving paradigms that will
modify this first paradigm and better enable
industrial chemists to cope with it.
CHANGING, continued on page 6MARCH, 1991 Page 5
MARCH, 1991
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MARCH, 1991
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American Chemical Society. Dallas/Fort Worth Section. Southwest Retort, Volume 44, Number [12], March 1991, periodical, March 1991; [Dallas, Texas]. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc268422/m1/5/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .