Pure research

Thorium, uranium, and plutonium are well known for their role as the basic fuels (or sources of fuel) for the release of nuclear energy (5). The importance of the remainder of the actinide group Hes at present, for the most part, in the realm of pure research, but a number of practical appHcations are also known (6). The actinides present a storage-life problem in nuclear waste disposal and consideration is being given to separation methods for their recovery prior to disposal (see Waste treati nt, hazardous waste Nuclear reactors, waste managet nt). 

Torn between pure science and Bolton s pressure for profits, Carothers felt betrayed. Deeply distressed, Carothers reminded their superiors of Du Pont s promise that he could do basic research, free of commercial concerns. The purpose of pure research is to increase scientific knowledge but now, Carothers anguished, it is expected to pay its own way. As he said, his laboratory had the rather desperate feeling that its work must make money. 

The ordinary practicing chemist may find it impossible to answer many or any of these questions, especially if he or she works in a purely research section of a company or academic institution. He or she is not in promotion or advertising, or chemical engineering or sales, or environmental sciences. In fact, any practicing chemist or other professional person might wish to excuse himself or herself from answering these questions—but is such an excuse justified ... 

This work has been supported by several different organizations the Foundation for the Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM), made possible by financial support from the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO) the Royal Society the United Kingdom Science Bngineering Research Council (SERC) and the Italian National Research Council (CNR). 

The unpublished work cited in this paper has been carried out under the auspices of the Netherlands Foundation for Chemical Research (S.O.N.) with financial aid from the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (Z.W.O.). 

In situ hybridization may be defined as the detection of nucleic acids in situ in cells, tissues, chromosomes, and isolated cell organelles. The technique was described in 1969 by two separate groups who demonstrated repetitive riboso-mal sequences in nuclei of Xenopus oocytes using radiolabeled probes (1,2). Refinements in recombinant DNA technology and the development of nonisotopic probe labeling and detection (3) obviate the need for radiation protection and disposal facilities, and have converted nonisotopic in situ hybridization (NISH) from a purely research technique to one that can be used in routine laboratory testing. 

Acknowledgements. The research summarized in this review was supported by Leiden University Medical Biological Laboratory TNO, Rijswijk, The Netherlands Academic Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands Organisation for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO), the Netherlands Foundation of Chemical research (SON grant number 11-28-17), the Netherlands Cancer Foundation KWF granted projects MBL-79-1, MBL-83-1, IKW-83-16) and Johnson and Matthey (generous loan of platinum). 

Do we now know enough of theoretical and practical interest regarding silicon compounds The answer is, we do not. Many of the silicon-containing compounds which today are of great technological importance were unknown a few decades ago and have originated from pure research. This basic research has generated many unanswered questions so that there is still much to be done in this field. 

In this, the concluding chapter of our journey through the history of chemistry, we shall look at topics where chemical methods or ideas have proved useful, but not worry further about drawing a line around the science. Nor shall we worry about drawing a line between pure and applied science. Many industries employ chemists to do pure research, in the reasonable expectation that some of it will prove useful. Most chemists are employed in applied science that is the aspect of chemistry that has had the greatest effect on our environment and on us. In the past one hundred and fifty years, chemical synthesis has become ever more powerful, and it is fair to say that chemistry is the only science that now builds or creates much of what it goes on to study, from artificial elements to the latest plastics and the most powerful pharmaceutical chemicals, from fertilizers to microchips. Chemists have been enormously successful in their explorations, and the results of their work have transformed the world in which we live and work. 

In addition to her pure research, she was a skilled writer. Late in life, she wrote a fascinating tale of her life as an astronomer called The Dyer s Hand. Here are some wonderful quotes from The Dyer s Hand reprinted in Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin An Autobiography and Other Recollections, edited by Katherine Haramundanis ... 

Are the scientists working for biotechnology companies or are they doing pure research ... 

We now have faculty with pure research grants who take on students in their laboratory working on their research initiatives. They copublish. They present the findings at conferences. That number is much smaller than the broad-based research training programs. We also have a number of scholarship programs that have research as a component. 

Let me conclude by saying that the research projects that students engage in range from ones that faculty devise for them at their level just to get them involved and acquainted with research to pure research on a faculty project. 

NMR was a first-generation descendent of Rabi s discovery of magnetic resonance, whereas MRI is a second-generation descendent. As such, these practical consequences of Rabi s basic work demonstrate the unpredictability and value that are often inherent in pure research. 

Schleyer looks to the future of computational chemistry residing in the breadth of the periodic table. Computational work has concentrated on one element, namely carbon, Schleyer says. The rest of the periodic table is waiting to be explored. On the other hand, he is dismayed by the state of research at universities. In his opinion, the function of universities is to do pure research, not to do applied research. Pure research will not be carried out at any other location. Schleyer sums up his position this way— Pure research is like putting money in the bank. Applied research is taking the money out. According to this motto, Schleyer s account is very much in the black. 

Because of the technical importance of UC to the nuclear industry, detailed information is available about its preparation. Pure research specimens are the main subject of this section other techniques are mentioned to show their limitations. 

All calculations were carried out at the Cyber-205 installations in Calgary(ACS) and Amsterdam(SARA).This investigation was supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC) as well as the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO). 

The author could not have written this chapter without the enthusiasm and hard work of all those who worked with him in the past years on many of the problems discussed. He is indebted to his colleagues from the Biophysics Department and the Centre for the Study of Excited Molecules in Leiden for sharing their knowledge and for their support. The help of Mrs. Tineke Veldhuyzen in the fast and accurate preparation of the manuscript is greatly appreciated. Research in this laboratory was supported by the Netherlands Foundation for Chemical Research (SON), financed by the Netherlands Organization for the Advancement of Pure Research (ZWO). 

Dr. Andrew Benson (Figure 2.1) was an Instructor in Chemistry at the University of California during 1942 and 1943, and he was a member of Ruben and Kamen s team for their pure research but was not a part of the war work. Quotation from a letter written by Andy Benson to me, March 3, 2001 ... 

Compare and contrast pure research, applied research, and technology. 

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