Serving scientists

Serving scientists

Serving Scientists The Institute has much to offer scientists and engineers in the pursuit of their professions. Its JOURNAL publishes original techni...

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Serving Scientists The Institute has much to offer scientists and engineers in the pursuit of their professions. Its JOURNAL publishes original technical material; the Committee on Science and the Arts rewards outstanding achievement; its Library is available for reference work; and its symposia offer specialists an opportunity to exchange ideas with others in their field.

JO U R N A L In its 132nd year the JOURNALpublished five Institute lectures, eight general interest papers and thirty-seven technical papers in fields ranging from strength of materials through mathematics, physics, electronics and chemistry, to earth satellites. An important feature is the book review section, giving authoritative opinions of new technical books. Distributed in all 48 states of the United States and in over fifty foreign countries, the JOURNAL is the Institute's most widely known contribution to science. In June, circulation was 5051; due to a change in the By-Laws effective in July, whereby members no longer receive free subscriptions, circulation dropped to 3938 in December. Monograph No. 3 of the JOURNAL series was published in April. Titled "Automatic Coding," it is the proceedings of a symposium held in February at the Institute. By the end of the year, sales had reached 1270. Monograph No. 2, "Earth Satellites as Research Vehicles," enjoyed continued popularity as a result of public interest in the IGY program.

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COMMITTEE

ON SCIENCE AND

THE ARTS

T h r o u g h o u t the year this Committee, composed of approximately 70 members of the Institute, painstakingly reviews pioneering work in many fields of science and technology. U p o n its recommendation, the Institute awards medals and certificates of merit for outstanding achievement, at impressive Medal Day ceremonies. These awards, which have been presented to eminent scientists of many nationalities, are world-renowned. At the 1957 Medal Day ceremonies in October, eleven individuals, one company and one association were honored, as follows : Medal

Cresson Cresson Cresson Longstreth Levy Henderson Wetherill Wetherill Brown Clamer Ballantine Franklin

Recipient

Subject

Willard Frank Libby Reginald James Seymour Pigott Robert A. Watson-Watt John Bertrand Johnson David Barhard Steinman Association of American Railroads Warren W. Carpenter The Martin Company Pier Lulgi Nervi William G. Pfann Robert Morris Page Leo Clifford Young Hugh Stott Taylor

Radiocarbon dating .................. Engineering accomplishments Pulsed radar in United Kingdom Thermal noise Paper on Mackinac Bridge Railway engineering Telephone Automatic Message Accounting Bonded structures Reenforced concrete Zone refining of metals Pulsed radar in United States Heterogeneous catalysis

Dr. S. Wyman Rolph, President of the Institute, congratulates 1957 recipients o[ awards. Seated (left to right): Dr. Hugh Taylor, Dr. Robert .Page, Mr. William Faricy (who accepted the award for the Association of American Railroads), and Dr. Willard Libby. Standing: Dr. Rolph, Mr. Warren Carpenter, Dr. fohn Johnson, Mr. G. G. Willey (who accepted the award for The Martin Company), Dr. David Steinman, Mr. Reginald Pigott, Mr. Leo Young, Mr. William Pfann, and Dr. Robert Watson-Watt.

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SYMPOSIA Realizing the importance--and the difficulty--of keeping abreast of latest developments in rapidly expanding fields, the Institute sponsors technical symposia to afford specialists an opportunity to discuss their problems with fellow experts. Three such meetings were arranged by the Laboratories in 1957, on these subjects : Automatic Codin9, a two-day symposium attended by 300 in February, covered the newest programming techniques for electronic computers and data-processing machines. Particulate Emission, a one-day meeting in October, attended by 100, was the second annual symposium devoted to air pollution. It stressed the problems associated with flyash, soot, and dusts. Airways Modernization Board, a three-day affair in December, attended by 350 persons, brought together interested segments of the aviation industry to discuss the functions of this newly created national board for air traffic control.

R ESA The fourth year of The Franklin Institute Branch of the Research Society of America was an unusually successful one. A new policy of luncheon meetings brought twelve speakers to the Institute. A high percentage of the 139 members of the staff who belong to RESA attended these meetings.

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LIBRARY The Library served 10,841 people during 1957. Of this number, 5990 made personal use of its collections, while 4851 were taken care of through telephone calls. There were 2590 new books added during the year, bringing the total to 159,000. The collection of scientific periodicals is one of the most complete in this area. Its worth was enhanced in 1957 by the addition of 22 new journals, so that at the end of the year 1522 were being received. Worth noting is the acquisition of several rare volumes, among which are Archimedes' "Tetragonismus" (1503); Marcus' "De proportione motus" (1640); Schopper's "De omnibus illiberalibus sive mechanicis artibus" (1574) ; and Varignon's "Project d'une nouvelle mechanique" (1687).

In November, a bronze bust o[ The Honorable George Wharton Pepper, ]or whom Pepper Hall, the main Library reading room, is named, was unveiled with a brief ceremony attended by Mr. Pepper, Miss Agnes Yarnall, the sculptor, and Institute oI~eials.

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