DED UN 18 O 98 F yyyy N yyyy Y O T R E I T H C E N O yyyy A E S S S L T A E A C R C I yyyyN S M S E E H C C T N IO A November 2001 Vol. LXXX, No. 3 yyyyC N • AMERI Monthly Meeting James Flack Norris Award to Dennis G. Peters of Indiana University, Bloomington Book Review “Instruments and Experimentation in Chemistry”, F.L. Holmes and T.H. Levere, eds. Meeting Report Post-Bologna Chemical Education in Europe, by T.N. Mitchell Special Report Pharmaceutical Industry in India, by M.S. Chorghade et al. James Flack Norris James Flack Norris was born in Balti- more, MD in 1871 as one of nine chil- dren of Reverend and Mrs. Richard Norris. He went to school in the Wash- ington, D.C. area, then enrolled in Johns Hopkins University in 1889, obtaining the doctorate in chemistry in 1895. He had a Fellowship during his last year and also taught at the Univer- sity of Maryland and coached classes in mathematics and science. He joined the faculty at MIT as an Instructor, giv- ing a course in organic preparations, later, history of chemistry, and organic chemistry. He taught a laboratory NOTE TO PRINTER course in organic reactions and prepa- rations with A.A. Noyes. In 1900 he Mass Vac became Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry. In 1902 he married Anne Bent 2/3 page ad appears here Chamberlin, a student at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He published his thesis work with his mentor, Ira Remsen, on “The Action of Halogens on the Methy- Ad # MASS 357N lamines” . During his career he pub- lished some seventy publications, also four books: Principles of Organic Paper ad to be stripped in Chemistry (1912), Experimental Organic Chemistry (1915), Inorganic by Saltus Chemistry for Colleges (1921), Labo- ratory Exercises in Inorganic chem- istry (1922), coauthored with Prof. Kenneth Mark of Simmons College. In 1904 he was appointed Professor of Chemistry at Simmons College, where he stayed for 11 years. In 1910 he took a sabbatical leave in Karlsruhe, Ger- many to study with Prof. Fritz Haber. There he acquired the physical-chemi- cal point of view, giving him new insights into organic chemistry. During this time, he and Mrs. Nor- ris and, for the summer three of Norris’ sisters, toured Europe with sojourns in Paris, Holland, England, and Scotland. In 1915 Norris was offered the professorship of chemistry in Vander- bilt University in Nashville, Tenn., but in 1916 he was asked to return to MIT continued on page 4 2 The Nucleus November 2001 The Northeastern Section of the American James Flack Norris and the Award _________________________2 Chemical Society, Inc. Brief account of the man and the Award Office: Marilou Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01760. 1-800-872-2054 (Voice or FAX) or 508-653-6329. Monthly Meeting _______________________________________5 e-mail: [email protected] James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Any Section business may be conducted Chemistry, to Dr. Dennis G. Peters of Indiana University, Bloomington via the business office above. NESACS Homepage: http://www.NESACS.org Puzzle Column_________________________________________6 Frank R. Gorga, Webmaster A new Mind Challenger from MENSA. Solution to the October puzzle p.21 Washington, D.C. ACS Hotline: 1-800-227-5558 NESACS Events for National Chemistry Week ________________7 Officers 2001 Tenth Annual ACS Northeast Regional Undergraduate Day, November 3; Chair: Celebrating Chemistry and Art, November 4 and November 6 Timothy B. Frigo Advanced Magnetics, Inc. 61 Mooney St., Cambridge, MA 02138 Book Review __________________________________________8 617-497-2070x3007; [email protected] “Instruments and Experimentation in the History of Chemistry,” by Frederic L. Chair-Elect: Holmes and Trevor H. Levere, eds.., Reviewed by Arthur Greenberg Morton Z. Hoffman Chemistry Department, Boston University Boston, MA 02215-2507; 617-353-2494 Meeting Report ________________________________________9 [email protected] “Post-Bologna Chemical Education in Europe,” by Terence N. Mitchell, from the Immediate Past Chair: May 3, 2001 Symposium on Chemical Education in the US and Germany Doris Lewis Chemistry Dept., Suffolk University Pharmaceutical Industry in India _________________________12 41 Temple St., Boston, MA 02114 617-573-8546; [email protected] “Promise and Potential of the Pharmaceutical Sector in India: Opportunities Secretary: and Challenges for Strategic Collaboration,” by Mukund S. Chorghade, Veena Michael Singer M. Chorghade and Mukund K. Gurjar Sigma RBI 1 Strathmore Rd. Natick, MA 01760-2447 NESACS Board of Directors Report and ACS News _______17, 18 781-994-0523; fax:781-994-0677 Report of the May 10, 2001 Board of Directors Meeting; Report and a letter [email protected] by Past-Pres. Daryle H. Busch on chemical information and the government Treasurer: James Piper Historical Notes ______________________________________19 Simmons College, 300 The Fenway Boston, MA 02115, 617-521-2722 Biographies of recently deceased chemists and chemical engineers, by Edward Auditor: R. Atkinson, Amherst, Mass. Anthony Rosner Cover: Dr. Dennis G. Peters, James Flack Norris Awardee (Indiana Univ. Ric Archivist: Myron Simon Cradick) 20 Somerset Rd. January 2002 issue: November 15, 2001 Newton, MA 02465; 617-332-5273 Deadlines: [email protected] February 2002 issue: December 14, 2001 Trustees: Esther A.H. Hopkins, Michael E. Strem, Joseph A. Lima Councilors: Alternate Councilors: Term ends 12/31/2001 Term ends 12/31/2001 Thomas R. Gilbert Michael P. Filosa The Nucleus is distributed to the members of the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Michael J. Hearn Morton Z. Hoffman Society, to the secretaries of the Local Sections, and to editors of all local A.C.S. Section publications. Arlene Wick Light Donald O. Rickter Forms close for advertising on the 1st of the month of the preceding issue. Text must be received by the Michael Singer Sophia R. Su editor six weeks before the date of issue. Term Ends 12/31/2002 Term ends 12/31/2002 Editor: Arno Heyn, 21 Alexander Rd., Newton, MA 02461, Mary T. Burgess Michael J. Dube Michaeline F. Chen Jean Fuller-Stanley Tel: 617-969-5712, FAX: 617-527-2032; e-mail:[email protected] Doris I. Lewis Patrick M. Gordon Associate Editor: Myron S. Simon, 20 Somerset Rd., W. Newton, MA 02465, Tel: 617-332-5273 Julia H. Miwa John L. Neumeyer Board of Publications: Marietta H. Schwartz (Chair), Patrick M. Gordon, Frank R. Gorga, E. Joseph Term Ends 12/31/2003 Term ends 12/31/2003 Billo (Consultant) Catherine E. Costello Arno H.A. Heyn Business Manager: Karen Piper, 19 Mill Rd., Harvard, MA 01451, William Klemperer Wallace J. Gleekman Tel: 978-456-8622 Truman Light(to12/31/01)Alfred Viola Dororthy J. Phillips Derk A. Wierda Advertising Manager: Vincent J. Gale, P.O. Box 1150, Marshfield, MA 02050, Tel: 781-837-0424; FAX: 781-837-8792 All Chairs of standing Contributing Editors: Mukund Chorghade, Patricia Hamm, Features; Edward Atkinson, History of Committees, the editor Chemistry; Maryann Solstad, Health; Dennis Sardella, Book Reviews; Marietta H. of THE NUCLEUS, and Schwartz, Software Reviews; E. Joseph Billo, Puzzles. the Trustees of Section Calendar Coordinator: Donald O. Rickter, e-mail: [email protected] Funds are members of the Proofreaders: E. Joseph Billo, Donald O. Rickter, M.S. Simon Board of Directors. Any Webpage: Webmaster: Frank R. Gorga, [email protected] Councilor of the American Chemical Society Asst. Webmasters:Terry Brush, [email protected] residing within the section area is an ex officio Kurt Heinselman, [email protected] member of the Board of Directors. Copyright 2001, Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society, Inc. The Nucleus November 2001 3 resulted in his death on August 3. He is James Flack buried in Mt. Auburn cemetery. Corporate Patrons Continued from page 2 Alfa Aesar, a Johnson Matthey Com- to become Professor of General Chem- The James Flack Norris Award pany Hoechst Marion Roussel Co. istry. In 1917, on a leave of absence for Outstanding Achievement from M.I.T., he engaged in war work Pharm-Eco Laboratories, Inc. at the Bureau of Mines, and in 1918 he in the Teaching of Chemistry Physical Sciences, Inc. was appointed Lt. Colonel in the In 1948 the Northeastern Section was a Polaroid Corporation Chemical Warfare Service of the U.S. beneficiary of the estate of Anne C. Strem Chemicals, Inc. Army, headquartered in London. After Norris, the widow of James Flack Nor- Corporate Sponsors the war he returned to M.I.T., where he ris, with an outright gift of $10,000 Aerodyne Research, Inc. continued his productive career umtil and the sharing of the residue of her AstraZeneca R&D his death in 1940. estate in equal parts with M.I.T. “…to Borregaard Synthesis, Inc. He had many graduate students perpetuate the memory of my said hus- Bristol-Myers Squibb from all over the world. His happy dis- band James F. Norris.” Cambridge Isotope Labs position gave him the nickname A committee was set up to explore Consulting Resources Corporation “Sunny Jim.” how best to use the money, with Gus- Dike, Bronstein, Roberts & He also was very active in the tavus J. Esselen as one of the prime Cushman, LLP American Chemical Society: He movers. The decision was announced Houghton Chemical Corp. chaired the Northeastern Section in in January, 1950 that the James Flack JEOL, USA, Inc. 1904, in 1925 he was elected Presi- Norris Award shall be made for out- MassTrace, Inc. dent of the ACS and was a Director standing achievement in the teaching until 1934. He also served as Vice of chemistry, particularly when New England Biolabs President of the International Union of demonstrated at college or secondary Organix, Inc.