in the Navy Bureaus and other agencies of the Department of Defense* 



Any qualified scientist may present a proposal for a research project, but 

 certain information is required before it can be considered (copies of the 

 Research Proposal Guide are available here for interested persons). Each 

 proposal received is reviewed by the staff of the Research Group and by 

 their consultants and advisoi'y committees, for scientific merit and poten- 

 tial. If the proposal - the property of the investigator - meets ONR 

 standards, if the proposed vjork fits into the planned program, and if 

 there are funds available, a contract is negotiated with the business 

 organization vath v/hich he is affiliated. It is important to note that 

 "a contract is negotiated," not "an award is made." 



Progress is maintained not only through ONR's own private meetings with 

 the investigators and internal reports but also through publication and 

 presentation of papers. Early dissemination of research information to 

 the scientific profession is considered necessary and his colleague^' 

 discussions are used in measuring an investigator's progress. 



The source of ONR's concern ?dth this problem lies in the materials group 

 and, since wood is an organic material, in the Organic Jiaterials Branch, 

 However, it is felt that research projects should be administered, as 

 well as conducted, by individuals skilled in the arts and techniques 

 required. Accordingly, the most of the contract projects in this area 

 are, and will continue to be, administered by the Biology Branch, Dr. 

 Galler and Dr. Sprugel are both here to participate in this conference. 



Returning to the direct subject of this talk, the interest of ONR in the 

 Prevention of Deterioration in liarine Structures and, specifically, in 

 marine borers, is materialistic: ONR is trying to help the Navy obtain 

 the most durable wooden structures possible, to find the most durable 

 ivoods available in the -estern hemisphere, to improve the methods of 

 treatment (impregnation) of wood, to improve the treating agents and 

 to obtain better and cheaper treatments. 



The problem is approached from several angles, keeping in mind that parti- 

 cipation v'ill be principally in the basic research phases of the program, 

 and contributions will be from the sciences and technologies vfhence the 

 research ideas originate. Among the elements of the OM contract research 

 program vrhich may be called upon are: 



Organic chemistry: the synthesis of toxic and/or repulsive 

 compoionds 



Phj'-sical chemistry: characterization of the world standard - 

 creosote - and identification of its active constituents 



Enzyme chemistry: investigations of the enzyme systems of the 

 destructive organisms and enzyme inhibitors 



C - h 



