SOME THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT CHEMISTS* By M. R. BHAGWAT, F.A.I.C. Formerly Secretary and General Manager of the Chemists' ./ldvisory Council Now ./lssociated with Hooker Electrochemical Co., Niagara Falls, N.Y. •'"4• (A few provocative notes to incite thought, comment, or action on professional matters) •xx WE INTERVIEWED approximately six thc•siand' men and women 'X•chemists through thd Chemist Advisory Council and its predecessorgroup during the depression years, until the Council was suspended early in World War II (1942). Out of these personal interviews and records certain characteristics of chemists manifested themselves. Some of these are indi- cated in the notes that follow. The ethical standards of these chemists were high, but their feeling of be]ong- ing to and supporting the profession was undeveloped. They were concerned about their own individual problems, as is natural, but this interest for the most part did not extend to the problems qf their colleagues. In this respect they seemed to lack social maturity. They applied to us as individuals and, with a few ex- ceptions, quickly forgot the source of their assistance and other chemists, once they were put back into jobs. In this, these chemists did not differ from the pub- lic at large, which characteristically overlooks the source of benefits, nor is it too concerned with its fellows. This very human behavior, however, is modified when individuals become professionally conscious and work with and for each other. The majority of chemists employed in industry, including many in govern- ment positions, are wage-earning, technically trained people, whether they hold the B.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Their daily routine is established to com- plete certain projects assigned to them. They rarely think of chemistry as a profession, but regard it as a job to be done, day by day. Therefore, they do not take enough interest in the chemical associations or societies, through which they could obtain the stimuli needed for their professional develop- ment. Relatively only a few chemists, zvhether in the laboratory, the management group, or associated with universities, are professionally conscious. It is neces- * Reprinted by permission from The Chemist, 30, 575 (1953).

1o JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS sary that every man and woman employed as a chemist or chemical engineer be conscious of the dignity and responsibility of the profession, and that each have a spontaneous feeling of mutual helpfulness toward his colleagues. Only through such unity can chemists command the same respect that is given to medical men and lawyers, who above all are conscious of their prqfessional posi- tions. Unless chemists do achieve professional unity, they cannot expect pro- fessional treatment from industry. The employer is established for business operation. He must use all his personnel, technical or otherwise, to operate the business as effectively as possible, lest there be no business to operate. Unless he realizes that chemists provide professional assistance, as does his legal staff, instead'of regarding them merely as individuals who do certain things, as do technicians, he will consider the science of chemistry and the dignity of chemists as minor matters, if he thinks of them at all. This is why the average chemist is seldom sent by his company to attend meetings of the chemical societies to which he may belong. Every employer needs to know that the work of chemists is a starting point from which to build up his business and that he should, consequently, regard them as valuable pro- fessional assistants and encourage their professional activities, to benefit his business. Education for professional thinkihg must start at the college level, as does that of the physician. The high moral values in human relations must be estab- lished in the minds of future members of the profession at an early stage in their education. Breadth of thinking and the realization of chemists' service to in- dustry and to society must be inculcated along with chemical courses. The pro- fessional society may help those who failed to get this training, if they take ad- vantage of its opportunities. The ?l[C was created to emphasize this phase of a chemist's life. Chemists in general regard security of position important, especially in the later years of their employment. Often a fear of insecurity becomes • real hindrance to their best accomplishment. There are a few self-confident, fortunate chemists who do not regard security as important, but we are speaking of the average industrial chemist. Chemists in industry often believe that those close to management, such as as- sistants to the manager, to the technical director, to the vice-president those in sales, economic studies, industrial relations are given better salaries than men in the laboratory, although they have the same degree of chemical training and experience. Therefore, they assume that "it is not what you know but whom you know," and they rightly feel that the extra knowledge acquired through laboratory experience should be valued equally in research and development men as is the supplementary knowledge required to hold the non-laboratory positions. l•here this situation exists, management may not be conscious of the importance of its research and development staff.