Abstract
A STATEMENT issued some time ago by the Joint Council of Professional Scientists dealt with the principales which should govern the acceptance of consulting work by academic men of science (see Nature, 157, 86; 1946). A somewhat similar code is incorporated in . “A Statement of Research Policy suggested for Inclusion in Research Policies of Educational Institutions”, which has been prepared by the Association of Consulting Chemists and Chemical Engineers in the United States and pub lished in Chemical and Engineering News of June 10. The statement suggests that it should be the policy of educational institutions to undertake as a rule only such research projects sponsored under contract with industry, government agencies, philanthropic or scien tific organisations as seem likely to add to the know ledge of fundamental research, are financed on a basis which contributes to the institution's own research fund, and have as objective the training of research woikers. Further, they should extend over a period of a year or more, they should not restrict the institution from undertaking other projects or research, and they should be such as cannot advantageously; be undertaken by independent research or development laboratories. Besides this suggested policy, which would seem to be open to evasion or abuse, there are in the statement regula tions proposed for private consulting service and for co-operative research, the latter specifying the in formation to be supplied to the institution before work is begun. As regards commercial testing, it is suggested that no routine commercial testing or analysis of materials, substances or products which might be carried out by an independent industrial or commercial laboratory should be permitted, although tests or analyse intended chiefly to develop new scientific facts should be allowed when they are part of a research programme or necessitate apparatus or equipment not available in private laboratories.
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Consulting Work and Educational Institutions. Nature 158, 509 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/158509c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/158509c0