477 



On the need for a national research vessel facility : at the present 

 time we do not have a single research vessel for use in biomedical 

 oceanography. Such a vessel has specific requirements in terms of re- 

 frigeration facilities and collecting facilities. We have found from 

 past experience that biomedical activities do not operate at optimum 

 efficiency when mixed with other oceanographic operations. 



I have a list here of research projects which I don't believe I need to 

 go over with you at this time. 



I would like to turn to page 9 to discuss briefly the subject of publi- 

 cation of results. We have a very distressing situation that exists with- 

 in our Government where surprisingly little attention is being given 

 to the publication of the results of scientific research. 



We seem to have an abundance of money to sponsor the research 

 but when the research is completed we don't seem to have sufficient 

 funds to publish the results, and I am referring specifically to large 

 monographs. 



There is a particular value in doing major monographic studies in 

 which you synthesize a lot of abstract and isolated bits of information 

 and try to begin to put it together as a whole. 



I know of many investigators in the field of biology, medicine, and 

 other areas that avoid doing a major study for the simple reason that 

 it is too difficult to get the results published. I can cite my own sad 

 experience. These volumes were completed in 1957 even though we had 

 over a million dollars invested in the background research we then 

 fought for the next 5 years trying to get sufficient funds to publish the 

 results. It was by virtue not of interest in terms of agencies as it was 

 of the interest oi two or three people that finally made it possible to 

 publish these results. 



Now, I think, gentlemen, that this is a very sad commentary on our 

 scientific system where we have people that think that this research 

 is worthy to be done but apparently not worthy enough to be pub- 

 lished. Moreover, in biological oceanography many of these organisms 

 if they are going to mean anything to the individual that is going to 

 see this material need to be published in color. There is a tremendous 

 difference between a black and white photo and an organism that is 

 brilliantly colored. When you are in the field you frequently identify an 

 organism because of its coloration not because of its black and white 

 appearance which really does not exist in nature. 



I mention this because I think that this is a critical area that needs 

 very careful attention in the future. 



I would like to touch finally on economic returns and the problem of 

 industry-government liaison. I work with a good many large indus- 

 trial organizations, not only within our own Nation but also with other 

 countries, and I find that there is need for better Government-indus- 

 trial relations. This is going to be particularly true if we move ahead 

 in the field of biomedical oceanography. 



First of all, when we talk about trying to develop our biochemical 

 marine resources we must provide an enormously expensive and time- 

 consuming groundwork that has to be laid before a company can begin 

 to commercialize these biochemical products. This is a serious problem 

 because, unless this groundwork is laid in a systematic manner, neither 

 industry nor Government is able to develop these resources. 



