Scientist, leadership contributions

For most areas of scientific pursuit, there is usually that rare investigator who has the imagination to conceive ideas, who has faith in his visions, and who has the ability to critically test his concepts in the laboratory. Almost invariably, this scientist also inspires younger men to enthusiastically enter into his research program. To him should go the accolades and the recognitions of the esteem in which he is held. As only a small part of this esteem, we wish to dedicate these books to Professor Selman A. Waksman in appreciation of his leadership and contributions in all facets of antibiotic research. 

It was a sad moment for his friends and colleagues in chemistry departments throughout the world, to read of the death of Professor Garner on March 4th, 1960. He was particularly well known to catalytic chemists, by his papers over some thirty years, and by his effective contributions to the series of conferences on catalysis which were initiated by the Faraday Society Discussion at Liverpool in 1950. Many readers of this notice will remember hearing his paper presented to the First International Conference on Catalysis at Philadelphia in 1956, and will recall with pleasure his characteristically modest, yet persuasive contributions in discussion. Garner s influence extended far beyond his own research group at Bristol, his leadership and inspiration being felt over a wide circle of scientists. 

As a result of his contributions and leadership in aerosol science, Sheldon received many honors throughout his career. For example, he received five awards from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers the Colburn Award in 1959, the Alpha Chi Sigma Award in 1974, the Walker Award in 1979, the Cecil Award in 1995, and the Lifetime Achievement Award of the AIChE Particle Technology Forum in 2001. He also received the Humboldt Senior Scientist Award from the West German Government in 1984-1985. He presented several invited lectures around the world, and more recently he was the first recipient of the Christian Junge Award of the European Aerosol Association in 2000 and the Aurel Stodola Medal of ETH in Zurich in 2004. 

Professor Zaikov has been an enthusiastic promoter and practitioner of global scientists, training and collaborating with students and researchers of different nationalities and of diverse cultural or educational backgrounds. He has constantly and unselfishly contributed to the global dissemination of research in polymer materials, and his outstanding research leadership and tireless service have positively impacted the worldwide prospering of research in these areas. 

I am not a sociologist of science, but I will venture a bit into that territory to provide a perspective on this discussion of the Colonel s work. There are three types of leadership contributions a scientist can make first discovery, correct interpretation, and building a field. Some scientists are well-known for taking a discovery (maybe not their own) and building a field. Almost every subdiscipline of science that is known by a label or a set of initials has a leader who named and built the field. This type of leadership is important. It creates new paradigms, it focuses federal funding, it trains a set of clones of the leader, for good or ill. The Colonel has not been a leader in this sense. We should also... 

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