INDUSTRIAL SPONSORS REPORT FOR FALL 1997
E. J. Vandenberg, Coordinator

The INDUSTRIAL SPONSORS GROUP of the Division of Polymer Chemistry consists of 28 members (see listing below). Each member contributes $1000 per year to support polymer education and other polymer development activities.
If your company is not a member, please urge them to join and participate in this worthwhile program. The Industrial Liason Committe which monitors this program includes E. J. Vandenberg, M. Jaffe, W. Daly, , R. Stackman, C. Wooten, A. English, J. L. Adams, H. N. Cheng and M. Roby

1997 INDUSTRIAL SPONSORS

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. International Specialty Products
Allied-Signal, Inc. S. C. Johnson & Son Inc
Amoco Chemical CompanyLubrizol Corporation
BASF Corporation 3M Corporation
Bayer CorporationMonsanto Company
Dow Chemical Company National Starch and Chemical Corp.
Eastman Chemical CompanyPhillips Petroleum Company
E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.Polaroid Corporation
Exxon Chemical Company PPG Industries, Inc.
General Electric CompanyThe Proctor & Gamble Company
Genesee Polymers Corp.Rohm and Haas Company
B. F. Goodrich CompanyUnilever Research U.S., Inc.
Hercules IncorporatedUnion Carbide Corporation
Hoechst Celanese CompanyU. S. Surgical Corporation

Our Eighteenth Annual Meeting of Sponsors will be held on Tuesday afternoon, September 9, 1997 at 1:30-5:00 p.m. at the Las Vegas ACS Meeting featuring a Minisymposium and Panel Discussion at the Convention Center, room N107 on "Aspects of Graduate Training in Polymer Chemistry--Are we training People for Industry". This program is being organized and will be moderated by Dr. Michael Jaffe and Dr. William Daly. The ACS Committee on Professional Training is a cosponsor. Details of this program are given below and in the ACS Las Vegas meeting program.
1:30 Introduction-Dr. Michael Jaffe, Hoechst Celanese Company
1:35 "Traditional Polymer Schools"- Dr. William MacKnight, University of Massachusetts
2:00 "Large Polymer Industry"- Dr. Richard Ikeda, DuPont Company
2:30 "Polymer Graduate Programs"- Dr. James McGrath, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
3:00 "Small Polymer Industry"-Dr. T. D. Flaim, President and Organizer of Flain Research Service, Former Director R&D of Brewer Scientific
3:30 "Chemistry Departments"-Dr. Edward Samulski, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
4:00 Panel Discussion with Questions from the Audience
Our Seventeenth Annual Meeting of Sponsors was held on August 27. 1996 at the Orlando ACS Meeting featuring a Minisymposium and Panel Discussion on "The Need for a U.S. Government, Industry and University R&D Policy". This program was organized and moderated by Dr. Carl Wooten and Dr. Robert Stackman, and was very successful with a good attendance.

The major activities which are currently supported by the Industrial Sponsors, many in cooperation with PMSE via POLYED, include the Polymer Education Newsletter (PEN), Workshops at schools to help introduce polymer education, the Undergraduate Summer Scholarship Program, The Curriculum Development Award, Tutorials, and Free Short Courses on Polymer Science at National and Regional Meetings. We also provide funding to support the "Intersociety Polymers and Plastics Education Committee" which includes the Society of Plastics Engineers, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Polymer Divisions of the ACS. A competitive grant program was initiated in 1991 to improve the public perception of polymers and is described below.

"IMPROVING THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF POLYMERS"
 ( R. W. STACKMAN)
This Grant consists of up to $10,000 distributed over three years for an innovative program directed toward "Improving the Public perception of Polymers". The proposals received in a competitive process are evaluated based on feasibility, impact and originality. Grants have been made annually since 1991 except for 1995. The 1996 Grant is described below. Prior Grants are described in last years Division Newsletters. We have now allocated $42,200 for improving the Public Perception of Polymers.

1996 Grant
From nine proposals, a $10,000 grant was made for a proposal from Dr. Richard Stein, University of Massachusetts to prepare a series of videotapes for acquainting non-technical audiences with the nature and uses of polymers. These videotapes will be prepared for upper level elementary and high school students. It is anticipated that this project will be very useful in accomplishing our mission.

Proposals for new projects are now being solicited for 1997

Details are provided by Kenneth Carter in an e-mail message (kcarter@ALMADEN.IBM.COM) sent to POLY LIST on 2/28/97 and in other publicity. Proposals should be submitted by December 31, 1997 to Dr. Robert W. Stackman, 340 Forest Brook Drive, Black Mountain, NC 2871 (phone/FAX 704-669-9072) who can also provide further information.