234 ILLINOIS STATE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL RESEARCH 



John C. Hessler, Knox College 



The writer has no thought of entering upon an ex- 

 tended exposition of industrial research, nor upon a de- 

 scription of any special problem, but to give in a few 

 words his impressions of the work done at the Mellon 

 Institute of the University of Pittsburgh, in the hope 

 that these impressions may be, to some of those present, 

 of at least a passing interest. 



The Mellon Institute represents, in cement and stone, 

 the ideas and ideals of Dr. Robert Kennedy Duncan. Dr. 

 Duncan, as most of you know, was a pioneer in the popu- 

 larizing of science, especially chemical science, with the 

 industrialists of America. He was a man of wonderful 

 imagination and of magnetic personality; when he ent- 

 ered a room, he became at once its center ; when he spoke, 

 the captains of industry listened. His voice is still heard 

 in the Institute he founded. It was Dr. Duncan's idea 

 that the manufacturer was entitled to the service of 

 men of approved ability, and that the investigator, on 

 the other hand, was entitled to the stimulus and aid which 

 come from companionship with other investigators and 

 the oversight and direction of trained scientific admini- 

 strators. These advantages the Institute affords. 



At the Mellon Institute an industrialist, a company, or 

 an association of manufacturers may become the donor 

 of a fellowship. The conditions are essentially the sign 

 ing of an agreement stating the relation of the donor, 

 the Institute, and the Fellow, and the contribution of 

 a foundation sum for a period of not less than one year. 

 This sum must be large enough to permit of the purchase 

 of all necessary special equipment and to pay the salary 

 of the Fellow. The Institute gives the Fellow the room 

 for his work, the use of permanent equipment and li- 

 brarj^, and the direction of the administrative officers. 

 All results obtained during the course of such a fellow- 

 ship belong exclusively to the donor. One can get some 

 idea of the scope of the Institute's work when he learns 

 that during the year 1920-1921, the foundation sums of 



