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The 2000 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies is discussed.

Industry continues to contribute the majority of funds for research and development in the United States, while government funding declines.

Research conducted by younger organic chemists presented at the American Chemical Society's national meeting is discussed.

An extensive research on semiconducting polymers is expected to pave the way for affordable fuel cells, plastic circuitry, and light-emitting devices. The research which is headed by Alan G. MacDiarmid, a chemistry professor at the University of Pennsylvania, was presented at the American Chemical Society's symposium in Dallas, TX. The symposium focused more on conjugated polymers used in semiconductor device applications.

The past 75 years have been witness to the emergence of many inventions, discoveries and other venues for research in the field of chemical. Successful studies on chemical synthesis, drugs, polymers, lasers, electroanalytical chemistry and DNA within these years have all revolutionized the field of chemical. German chemist Hermann Staudinger's proposal in 1920 that molecules can form macromolecules also provided polymer science and biotechnology a theoretical foundation.

Attendees to the 5th Chemical Congress of North America at Cancun, Mexico exchanged notes and analyses of particles polluting the air. Actual observations of gases and aerosols over Cancun were conducted focusing on the levels of ozone. Ozone is found to be the second pollutant in Mexico City that came as a result of photochemical reactions of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Sensitivity analysis is also found to be an efficient procedure in distinguishing effective control strategies.

The overall research and development allocation in the United States increased by a remarkable 3.2% in 1996 as federal funding has continued to dwindle, with a sharp decline of about 1.0% during the same period. Statistics issued by the National Science Foundation also revealed the industry's increasing support for research projects, accounting to about 60% of the total research and development funds. Pharmaceutical and drug companies accounted for a large share in funds, spending about $17.3 billion and $10.2 billion, respectively in 1995.

A number of mass spectrometry (MS) products have been developed for liquid chromatography (LC) units as well as gas chromatography (GC) in 1997. The new systems, such as those presented by PE Sciex, are equipped with software capable of controlling experiments and data management. Inficon, on the other hand, presented its version of a portable GC/MS system called Hapsite, which can be used for stationary source testing, hazardous waste site investigations, and emergency response.

US research and development expenditure reached an estimated $171 billion in 1995, with industries assuming $102 billion and the federal government assuming the remainder. Industry also provided academia with $1.4 billion or seven percent of the $21.1 billion it spent on research and development in 1994. Meanwhile, chemical research by universities reached $759 million in 1994, with the largest expenditure reported by Harvard University.

New equipment for gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) were exhibited at the 1996 Pittsburgh Conference and Exposition on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy. These included Thermedics Detection's Flash-2D-GC fast gas chromatography device which uses rapid temperature programming to analyze mixtures much faster than common GC equipment and LECO's fully automated Pegasus TOF/MS equipment which can analyze 500 spectra per second.

Scientists attending the 1995 International Conference on Ozone in the Lower Stratosphere held in Halkidiki, Greece admitted that the complexities of ozone loss still left several uncertainties unclarified. Although they agreed that severe ozone loss in the Arctic polar regions occurred during the previous winter, they still expressed confusion as to the precise nature of polar stratospheric clouds. The scientists also voiced many unanswered questions regarding the ozone thinning mechanism affecting the midlatitude regions of North America, Asia and Europe.

NASA hopes to overcome the many obstacles which contributed to the shelving of the supersonic transport program in the 1970s through its High-Speed Research Program. Under this top priority aeronautics research effort, NASA and US aerospace companies will work together to develop a supersonic civil transport capable of flying faster and carrying more passengers at economically-feasible fares compared to existing supersonic jet aircraft. NASA also envisions the airliner to be environmentally safer and less noisy.

Delegates from countries around the world will convene at the first Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change on Mar. 28, 1995 in Berlin, Germany. The summit will review the objectives of the climate treaty signed by the delegates to the Jun 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The treaty focuses on reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to prevent interference in the climate. However, differences in the approaches of major countries towards the climate problem cast clouds on the success of the summit.

Pres. Bill Clinton's 1996 budget proposal includes a $169 million increase for federal R&D programs. The proposal, however, reduces $4.3 billion in technology development and R&D facilities funding. Clinton, who believes that science and technology investments promote productivity and higher standards of living, stresses that the proposed budget will ensure growth in basic and fundamental science research. The proposal also includes a 13% budget increase in the Dept. of Defense's Technology Reinvestment Project and a 14% increase in the funding of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Advanced Technology Program.

The Republicans' return to Congress was marked by the introduction of ten measures embodied in the 'Contract with America' plan. The latter, which was signed by over 300 Republican candidates prior to the Nov. 8, 1994 elections, will have a significant impact on the chemical industry. The two bills which are likely to change how the industry operates are the Job Creation and Wage Enhancement Act and the Common Sense Legal Reforms Act.

National Science Foundation Chemistry Div. (NSF) Dir. Janet G. Osteryoung believes that the limited funding available will force chemical research efforts to be more practical. Osteryoung stated that NSF funding will be focused more on strategic research areas so research proposals will have to cover practical applications and national priorities. In addition, the NSF is encouraging researchers to develop closer working ties with industry.

Interest in DNA profiling is increasing as the technique prepares to take center stage in the O.J. Simpson trial. Simpson's attorneys are expected to contest the use of DNA profiling on the grounds that it does not meet the Frye standard of general acceptance from the scientific community and is difficult to administer. However, DNA profiling proponents argue that the technique provides solid and valuable evidence that is hard for the criminal justice system to ignore.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is batting for a nationwide comprehensive reform of science, mathematics and technology education through its one-year-old Urban Systemic Initiative program. This systemic initiative awards program aims to narrow the gap in achievement between urban poor school districts's predominantly minority students and white suburban students. In line with this, the NSF will award nine cities with $15 million over a five-year period for the improvement of their science, math and technology education.

The 1995 fiscal budget proposal submitted by the Clinton Administration to Congress on Feb 7, 1994, provides for a 3% increase in total federal funding for research and development (R&D) to reach $73 billion. For FY 1995, the budget for applied R&D would increase by 4% to $56.9 billion, funding for basic research would rise by 2% to $14.1 billion and the budget for R&D facilities would decrease by 22% to $2 billion. The budget allocations illustrate the emphasis of the Clinton Administration on research that would improve the American quality of life and the nation's competitive position.

The US Congress will reconvene on Jan 25, 1994 prior to the year's campaign period for the elections. House representatives Senate members are expected to act on major proposals of the Clinton cabinet. Health care reform is anticipated to be a vital issue for legislation. Other issues expected to be prominent are education and funding, food safety and hazardous laws pertaining to the chemical industry.

National Institutes of Health Dir Harold E. Varmus speaks out in favor of basic research. He seeks to dispel the current perception that basic research is impractical, claiming that it is actually research whose applications are still to be identified. Nevertheless, he remains realistic about the development of basic research in the face of budgetary constraints. As director of the institute, he aims to convince Congress and the public about the merits of this research.

Users move to adopt substitutes while the chemical industry works toward elimination of ozone-depleting chemicals as ban on production of these compounds nears. Halons and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are being replaced with substitute chemicals or entirely new technologies. Meanwhile, environmental groups press for chlorine-free chemicals and advocate an immediate end to production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons, the two major CFC alternatives.

US Pres Bill Clinton and VP Al Gore are determined to restructure the federal government as presented in the 168-page report 'Creating a Government that Works Better & Costs Less.' The report recommends the cutting of red tape, giving customers top priority, empowering employees to achieve results and going back to the basics. However, the report does not present a clear course of action despite the wealth of ideas contained.

NASA scientists discovered in Apr 1993 that a sudden decrease hasoccurred in ozone levels between late 1992 and early 1993. Their study also revealed that ozone depletion was particularly pronounced in the northern midlatitudes. However, they cannot identify the cause of the abrupt drop in global ozone levels and specify the mechanism governing the slower depletion rate over North America, Europe and Asia. Meanhwile, despite pronouncements by scientists regarding the seriousness of the problem, a growing number of peoplehave begun to express doubts on the significance of CFC-linked ozone depletion.

About 400 scientists, engineers and research administrators who attended Sigma Xi's forum on 'Ethics, Values, and the Promise of Science' in Feb 1993 were joined by philosophers, historians of science and government officials in discussing scientists' obligations and the ethical aspects of their profession. The group concluded that ethics, the improvement of the practice of science and the public's perceptions should be addressed and practiced by all researchers. Furthermore, ethics training should be started and required in all science subjects.

American Chemical Society's (ACS's) national meeting on March 2004 observed the start of its new Academic Employment Initiative (AEI) that aimed to broaden the process by which faculty members in the chemical sciences are hired. The program drew mixed reactions that reflected the challenges underlying the effort to change entrenched patterns and practices and the depth of feeling surrounding the charged issue of diversity.

Different techniques to teach organic chemistry were presented at the American Chemical Society's annual meeting in San Diego, CA.

Scientists speaking at the 2000 American Chemical Society meeting in San Francisco, CA presented data confirming that pharmaceutical and personal care products are contaminating the environment.

The National Science Foundation reckons that, for 1998, and for the fourth consecutive year, R&D expenditures will increase 7.3% to $220.6 bil, growing faster than the overall US economy. The chemical and drug firms belong to the group of big performers of R&D in the country, investing $1.75 bil in 1996. The industry will do 75% of the total R&D, while universities will perform 59% of basic research.

The future of chemical R&D remains uncertain due to the Republican-led government's obsession with budget cuts. Nevertheless, total federal funding for such activities is not expected to slump in FY 1995 but instead is predicted to rise 4.3% to $955 million. Federal funding for academic chemical research is likewise expected to rise in FY 1995 by 5.7% to $387 million, with the University of Texas expected to continue being the top university spender on chemical research.

The National Institutes of Health (NHI) plans to restructure its objectives to lure more minorities to participate in biomedical research and help the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Minority Opportunities in Research (MORE) division to create more effective programs. MORE has two projects, the Minority Access to Research Careers and Minority Biomedical Research Support, which provide training and support services to schools. NIGMS also plans to introduce accountability and develop specific goals with measurable outcomes to improve the minority programs.

The US Congress mandated the Dept. of Health and Human Services Commission on Research Integrity to establish the definition of scientific misconduct and to develop guidelines for for the commission's Office of Research Integrity (ORI) to deal with cases of scientific misconduct. However, witnesses have complained that the ORI is too slow in acting on its cases. This is due to too much concern over technical issues the exact phrasing of the definition of scientific misconduct and the code of confidentiality among clinical practitioners.