Industrial-Academic Interfacing

163 Pages·1984·2.861 MB·English

by  Dennis J. Runser (Eds.)

Industrial-Academic
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In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
ACS SYMPOSIUM SERIES 244
Industrial-Academic
Interfacing
Dennis J. Runser, EDITOR
Marion Laboratories, Inc.
Based on a symposium sponsored by
the Division of Professional Relations
at the 184th Meeting
of the American Chemical Society,
Kansas City, Missouri,
September 1982
American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 1984
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Industrial-academic interfacing.
(ACS symposium series, ISSN 0097-6156; 244)
"Based on a symposium sponsored by the Division of
Professional Relations at the 184th Meeting of the
American Chemical Society, Kansas City, Missouri,
September 1982."
Includes bibliographies and indexes
1. Science and industry—Unite
2. Chemistry—Research—Unite States—Congresses
3. Research, Industrial—United States—Congresses.
I. Runser, Dennis J. II. American Chemical Society.
Division of Professional Relations. III. American
Chemical Society. Meeting (184th: 1982: Kansas City,
Mo.) IV. Series.
Q172.153 1984 507 83-27558
ISBN 0-8412-0825-5
Copyright© 1984
American Chemical Society
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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
ACS Symposium Series
M. Joan Comstock, Series Editor
Advisory Board
Robert Baker
U.S. Geological Survey
Martin L. Gorbaty Theodore Provder
Exxon Research and Engineering Co. Glidden Coatings and Resins
Herbert D. Kaesz James C. Randall
University of California—Los Angeles Phillips Petroleum Company
Rudolph J. Marcus Charles N. Satterfield
Office of Naval Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Marvin Margoshes Dennis Schuetzle
Technicon Instruments Corporation Ford Motor Company
Research Laboratory
Donald E. Moreland
USDA, Agricultural Research Service Davis L. Temple, Jr.
Mead Johnson
W. H. Norton
J. T. Baker Chemical Company Charles S. Tuesday
General Motors Research Laboratory
Robert Ory
USDA, Southern Regional C. Grant Willson
Research Center IBM Research Department
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
FOREWORD
The ACS SYMPOSIU
a medium for publishing symposia quickly in book form. The
format of the Series parallels that of the continuing ADVANCES
IN CHEMISTRY SERIES except that in order to save time the
papers are not typeset but are reproduced as they are sub
mitted by the authors in camera-ready form. Papers are re
viewed under the supervision of the Editors with the assistance
of the Series Advisory Board and are selected to maintain the
integrity of the symposia; however, verbatim reproductions of
previously published papers are not accepted. Both reviews
and reports of research are acceptable since symposia may
embrace both types of presentation.
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
PREFACE
THE GROWING IMPORTANCE of the relationship between industry and
academia has become apparent over the last few years. The relationship is no
longer simply platonic; rather it is fast becoming one of mutual need and
satisfaction. Reports and editorials on corporate-university ties, not only in
the scientific press but in the public media as well (see, for example, the Wall
Street Journal for March
increasing numbers of symposi
attachment.
The importance of the industrial-academic interaction has been cata
lyzed by many factors. The attention recently focused on our national and
worldwide research postures, the evolution of highly visible industry-univer
sity contracts, the decrease in Federal funds for university research, and
industry's growing need for fundamental research in the face of increasing
costs of research resources—all have contributed to the courtship.
However, critics have voiced concern over what they see as an underly
ing adulteration of the pure academic atmosphere by the invasion of
industry-capitalized research efforts. In this view the academic pursuit of
basic research is diverted by questions of application from its true purpose.
Furthermore, academics see industry's need to maintain confidentiality and
to protect patent rights in order to make investments pay off as conflicting
with their own mandate to publish in order to serve the public good.
If we hope as a nation to compete in the world economy, we must
nurture and strengthen the efforts we direct toward research and scholarship.
The growing attention the industrial-academic nexus has been receiving
sparked the ideas for the initial symposium on which this book is based, and
brought together active leaders and spokesmen on the topic from industry,
academia, and the public sector.
The coordination of a symposium and the subsequent compilation of a
book take the generous cooperation of others. I am particularly appreciative
of the dedicated assistance of my secretary, Ann Welch, who was invaluable
in helping to complete this work. I also wish to acknowledge the assistance
of David Stickel and Albert Saad, whose generous support helped this
program to run smoothly. Sincere thanks go to all the authors, without
whom neither the program nor the book would have been possible. I have
sincerely enjoyed the opportunity to work with each of these dedicated
ix
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
individuals. Finally, I wish to thank the American Chemical Society's
Division of Professional Relations and Marion Laboratories, Inc., for their
foresight in supporting this timely project.
DENNIS J. RUNSER
Marion Laboratories
Kansas City, Mo.
July 1983
x
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
1
Mutually Beneficial Academic Consultantships
for Industry
LOWELL D. MILLER
Marion Laboratories, Inc., Kansas City, MO 64134
Consultant arrangements between academia and industry are fre
quently used and, I believe
cerned. The reasons ar y
any companies could hope to have on hand at all times the diverse
talents and instrumentation that they need to pursue their com
plex research projects. On the university side, knowledge is of
little value until it is shared. Yet for being so often used
and highly valued, it appears the consulting relationship has
been the subject of relatively little analytical thought.
The other authors of this monograph will present many aspects
of the industrial-academic relationship with analysis which will
help understand and utilize this interaction. In this brief
overview I will offer the benefit of my experiences in managing
consulting arrangements and give some insights into how consult
ants have helped our particular situation in an Industrial Lab
oratory.
Two Major Tasks
Before engaging a consultant in any area, two major tasks are
undertaken. The first is the more difficult: finding the indi
vidual with the type of knowledge needed. This assumes you do
not have someone targeted. One of the university's major
"products11 is knowledge and much of i t is of immediate benefit
to society through industry or some other channel. What is
needed to bring this potential to reality from an industrial
viewpoint is the further development of this knowledge, by
industry, to a useable stage. We really cannot achieve this
unless, of course, we do isolate the need, then identify the
faculty member, a department, or even a product already developed
to a certain point in time. The initial burden for solving this
problem falls upon the university or with the individual faculty
member so that the new skills for a potential product or for any
particular skills can be brought to our attention in industry.
The second problem is more subtle but nevertheless common.
It is the "N.I.H." syndrome, the Not Invented Here attitude which
0097-6156/ 84/ 0244-0001 $06.00/ 0
© 1984 American Chemical Society
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.
2 INDUSTRIAL-ACADEMIC INTERFACING
says that anything coming from outside our laboratory cannot be
gooc}. This is an attitude that is really from the industrial
laboratory side and not, naturally, of the consultant. This is
the toughest one we face in working out a mutually beneficial
consultant arrangement. If you are going to have a consultant,
the arrangement must result in a working environment that is
mutually beneficial to all concerned. If the head of the indus
trial laboratory feels the need for a consultant but his managers
and technicians feel threatened by the arrangement, this is
obviously a lose-lose situation and nobody can win. Information
will not be shared, the ideas of the consultant will be ignored,
and the "cross-fertilization" will not occur. All you end up
doing is wasting money, wasting a consultant's time and talent,
and, probably, embittering the consultant to the point where he
or she will never want to step into an industrial laboratory
again.
Preventing vs Solving
There are no practical guidelines for solving the "N.I.H."
problem once it occurs, for the solution depends on the person
alities involved and the particular circumstances. Rather than
solve the problem, I prefer to prevent it. This is relatively
easy if the people in the industrial laboratory know what is
expected of the consultant and of them. The industrial liason
and the consultant need to make the laboratory personnel see the
relationship as a symbiotic one, one that does not imply failure
or inadequacies on the part of the laboratory people. If indus
try people see the situation as one which will result in greater
accomplishments for a l l concerned, they will cooperate.
Three Areas of Consultant Use
There are basically three areas where consultants are used
—one I have already mentioned, new product ideas. The outcome
here can be extremely successful if the consultant is kept close
ly involved in the project from start to finish. This is only
logical, for the new product idea was the consultant's in the
first place. Why take him half way through the development of
the product and then drop him? Why think you can do i t better?
Keep him in the project as long as he can contribute. Again,
watch out for the "N.I.H." syndrome. If the product makes i t to
market, everybody wins—the university, the company, and most
important, society. However, we a l l know that not, all products/
ideas end up as successful ventures. Therefore, if you are us
ing a consultant to assist in the area of product development,
they should be properly positioned again at the front end.
The second basic area of consultant use is guidance in devel
oping or maintaining research programs. This is where most
consultants from academia seem to be used. And, I might add,
seem to be misused. If you are going to have consultants, use
them and use them appropriately. Do not waste their time and do
In Industrial-Academic Interfacing; Runser, D.;
ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1984.