Young scientist competitions

The status of chemists in the eyes of competition-conscious executives was undoubtedly boosted by the successes of chemists in such fields as plastics, petrochemicals, and synthetic textiles. As a result of the industry s growing demand for trained chemists, a new relationship emerged between industry and the curriculum and research interests of many academic chemistry departments. Universities supplied industry with scientists and with fundamental research to supplement work done in industrial laboratories. In turn industry aided chemistry departments. Many of the increasing number of chemistry students in American universities were supported by pre- and postdoctoral fellowships from chemical corporations. Du Pont alone offered fellowships worth eighteen thousand dollars at 12 institutions in 1936—1937 between 1918 and 1932, the company awarded 326 fellowships and 34 scholarships to young academic chemists. 

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