7. INDUSTRIAL LIAISONS

Since many chemical companies are directly involved with polymers, and industry benefits directly from the activities of such organizations as the Division, industrial liaisons were established early.

A. Industrial Sponsors

Currently the Industrial Sponsors Group, coordinated by Edwin J. Vandenberg, consists of 30 member companies in 2000. Originally, each member contributed $1000 per year to support polymer education and other polymer development activities. Now, the Group has been expanded to include companies with less than 500 employees who contribute $500 per year.

The Group regularly meets at the Fall ACS National Meetings. In 1991 their Annual Meeting was 12th and in 2000 21st. At each such meeting, minisymposia and panel discussions sponsored by the Group were presented:

	1991	"Interdisciplinary Research and Education for the Future"

	1992	"Eastern Europe: Opportunities for the Polymer and Chemical Industries"

	1993	"Converting Science to Dollars"

	1994	"Future of the National Laboratories"

	1995	"Maximizing Your Assets in Polymer Technology"

	1996	"The Need for a U.S. Government, Industry, and University R&D Policy"

	1997	"Aspects of Graduate Training in Polymer Chemistry - Are We Training People for Industry?"

	1998	"Opportunities in Industry - a Younger Scientist Perspective"

	1999	"Does the Future of Polymer Research and Development Depend on Entrepreneurs?"

	2000	"Polymers for the 21st Century"

The major activities of the Group, many in cooperation with PMSE, POLYED, and IPEC, include the Polymer Education Newsletter (PEN), workshops at schools to help to introduce polymer education, the Undergraduate Summer Scholarship Program, the Polymer Curriculum Development Award, and free Short Courses on Polymer Science at the ACS National and Regional Meetings.

Edwin J. Vandenberg Industrial Sponsors' Chair 1980 - 2000

In 1991, a competitive grant program directed toward "Improving the Public Perception of Polymers" was initiated, which is described in Section 8, "Educational Activities".

After more than 20 years as the chair of the Industrial Sponsors' Committee, Ed Vandenberg has elected to resign in 2000. Robert S. Moore has taken over its chairmanship.

B. Industrial Advisors

The function of the industrial advisors is to help POLY in better serving its industrial members by influencing programming to provide more symposia on topics of interest to industry, attracting more industrial members, and increasing industrial participation at the ACS National Meetings and in the POLY governance and committees.

The Industrial Advisors in the period 1999-2000 were Carrington D. Smith, Robert L. Clough, and Duane B. Priddy.