Wednesday, May 22.1963 University Daily Kansan
Page 11
Professors Express Views On Research
The second in a three-part series
By Dolores Orman
The importance of university research, especially in the technological sciences, to the industrial growth of Kansas has been emphasized by several sources — the chancellor's Ad Hoc committee, the Eurich report, and the report by the governor's Economic Development Committee.
During a visit to KU in March, James E. Webb, director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), said KU could help Kansas benefit from space-age ventures by greater cooperation in research and closer ties with industry.
WEBB SAID NASA had decided the best way to gain important research results was through universities rather than through building government laboratories.
NASA and other organizations such as the National Institutes of Public Health, the National Science Foundation, and industrial firms have been the source of more than 60 per cent of the funds used for technological research.
Several University faculty members expressed their views concerning research and their departments.
"If you have the right people you do not need a beautiful laboratory to conduct research," said Ross E. McKinney, professor of civil engineering and head of environmental health.
"RESEARCH IS still an idea," he said. "If you have the idea, then
Fickle Wig Thiefs Fined
WASHINGTON —(UPI)—Gentlemen may prefer blondes but a grand jury has indicted three men here on charges they preferred blondes, brunettes and red heads.
An indictment yesterday accused the three men of grand larceny for the theft of the three shades of wigs from a high fashion shop which valued the hair pieces at $64 each.
His Bite Bigger Than Bark
SAN DIEGO, Calif.-(UFI)—John Ira Bayles, 45, was placed on three years probation yesterday for biting off his former wife's left car in an argument over money.
Bayles, who pleaded guilty to a charge of mayhem, also must pay restitution to the victim, Mrs. Helen Jenks, when the amount is determined.
you can make use of the facilities available."
Prof. McKimney said research in engineering is concentrated at the graduate end of study where the students "get a chance to discover." The teaching is not based on textbooks which someone else has written. The students are given basic information before they are given the textbook, he said.
George Bradshaw, chairman of the department of civil engineering, said the department's 30 graduate students do research in such areas as transportation, roads, airports, water supply, dams and river control.
THE ENTOMOLOGY department is also largely a graduate student-oriented department.
Robert Beer, chairman of the department, explained that by the time students have acquired the broad background necessary for a major in entomology he is a graduate student. He said there are approximately 30 graduate students in the department.
"The graduate student is urged to stay with us a year before he chooses his project." Prof. Beer said.
He explained that during that time the student has a chance to become familiar with the faculty members and the subject matters.
There are about 130 graduate students in the department of chemistry. Charles Reynolds, professor of chemistry, said that is the highest number of students in the graduate program the department has ever had.
Prof. Reynolds said a graduate student usually teaches a year or two and then becomes a research assistant.
IN EXPLAINING the graduate program in the department of bacteriology, David Paretsky, chairman of the department, said the graduate student spends two semesters in laboratory teaching before entering research.
"The day when a man can do effective work with only a bunsen burner, a test tube, and a lab is gone," said Prof. Paretsky commenting on the complexity of research especially in his field.
Frank E. Hoecker, chairman of the department of radiation biophysics, said that because the majority of research is government supported there is a great deal of red tape. "Every minute a person spends in red tape, answering questionnaires and making out reports, could be spent in research," he said.
A. B. Leonard, chairman of the zoology department, said he felt the major factor in attracting graduate students to his department has been the reputation of the department and faculty.
PROF. LEONARD said the ideal situation is for the major professor and the student to have interests in the same area.
"Occasionally a student may choose an area in which there is no staff member competent to teach him," he said. The student is usually advised to start at a different level of the problem.
Oceanography, micro-paleontology and ecology are some of the research areas in the field of geology. Frank C. Foley, chairman of the
department and director of the State Geological Survey, said there are approximately 60 graduate students in the department, about 10 per cent of which do work through the survey and a smaller number with the faculty members of the geology department.
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