Research: Annual report of the committee on research

To the Board of Directors: 1. THE TRAINING OF RESEARCH WORKERS There is, perhaps no more important problem at this time than that of the training of research workers and engineers. The popular appreciation of research is increasing. This is good because the chief stimulus of research is a certain state of mind akin to, but more than, curiosity and inquisitiveness which without doubt can be developed in the proper atmosphere. It was a similar state of mind, a dissatisfaction, a desire to go where others had not gone and see what others had not seen that actuated our pioneer ancestors and resulted in America. It would thus seem that the right material should be available; but more than material and popular appreciation is required to create the necessary state of mind. Are our colleges doing their part? As was pointed out in the report of this Committee last year, indications are that they are not. As a gage on the research in electrical engineering at colleges, Dr. F. E. Terman, of Stanford University, has made a statistical study of research papers presented by college professors and their students. The following is quoted from his report which appeared in the April 22, 1927 of Science: