Lamentations on Chemistry

According to the March 10, 2008 issue of C&EN, a number of US PhD scientists working at Max Planck are facing charges for illegal use of the title “Dr.” According to the article, the title Dr is reserved for graduates of EU universities. From C&EN-

According to German criminal law, the title “Dr.” is reserved only for individuals who received a doctoral degree from a European Union institution, explains Erik Kraatz, a criminal lawyer at the Free University, Berlin. Kraatz notes that the law also prohibits masquerading as a police officer, medical doctor, or professor.

Indeed, to legally use the title “Dr.” in Germany, foreign-trained scientists must request permission from their local German state government. With this state-level consent, they can use the title “Dr.” anywhere in the country. But without the state’s permission to use the title, a scientist breaks two laws: the state law requiring approval to use the “Dr.” title and the federal impersonation law, Kraatz says.

Breaking the state law is punishable with a fine akin to that associated with a traffic ticket. However, breaking the federal law is punishable by a larger fine or up to one year in jail, Kraatz adds.

This is a very hard-core, nanny-state policy to apply to an honorific. Golly. To avoid trouble with Interpol, I’ll make sure to change my business cards and my email lest I be mistaken for a physician wannabe.  Heavens.  We don’t want that. \

Hopefully someone in the German legislature will propose a reform for this ridiculous law.

No rest for the wicked. I have been requested and required by the boss to attend the ACS meeting in NOLA.  Lots to get done before departure.  I’ll have to get my liver conditioned for a visit to the French Quarter.

I have been using the thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) for fun and profit lately. It is quite useful in solving certain kinds of problems in process development.  Of course, if we attached a chain it might make a dandy boat anchor too.  Just kidding … mostly.

Lots of chemistry is presently under development in the USA. It is premature to concede the future of technology development to Asia just yet.  There are lots of companies struggling to get their new technologies to market- I see this every day. This is in stark contrast to news of the tragic comedy on Wall Street. It is important to remember that the stock market is only one of many indicators of economic vitality.  It seems to me that the current maelstrom is based on negligent banking practices, not industrial weakness.

Back to the hood. Gotta ice the trap on the vac line.