Milford chronicle., 1947-06-27
U. of D. NEWS

Creation of a new position at the
University of Delaware-that of as
sistant to the president and adviser
on research-and appointment of
DR.. Allan P. Colburn, outstanding
chemical engineer, to that post was
announced recently by DR.. William
S. Carlson, University president.
DIR. Colburn, now chairman of the
Department of Chemical Engineer
ing at the University, will contiRue
in that position also until a sac
cessor is found. He assumes his
new Office on July 1. Already active
in the research program with the
University's committee on research,
he will continue as chairman of the
committee.
DR.. Carlson explained that his
new assistants principal response
bility will be to advise on all as
poets OF research within the Uni
versity. He will follow various re-
search programs, keeping the presi-
dent informed on progress, seeking
new types of research for the Uni
! versity, and assisting in procuring
/ support for the research programs.
1.-The University OF Delaware" !"
DR.. Carlson declared, "is interested
in research related to the various
problems peculiar to the several in
| terests in Delaware: agricultural
as well as Industrial. We hope that
this appointment will help us
achieve more extensive research
program in each of these various
interests"
DR.. CoIburn, who will be respon-
sible only to the president, will
have no administrative responsible
ties except in connection with the
research program.
His appointment has been ap-
proved by the board of trustees, and
he thus becomes the University's
first officer to hold the rank of as
sistant to the president.
Dr. Colburn has been professor of
chemical engineering at the Uni
versity of Delaware since 1941, and
associate professor for three years
before that. He joined the faculty
from the DUPONT Company, where
he was research chemical engineer
for nine years. For the past five
years he has been consultant on
call for that company.
His main contribution to the Uni
versity, besides building up a
strong Chemical Engineering De-
partment, has been the develop
ment of industrial cooperation, both
in the direction of advanced extern
sion courses, and in obtaining sup
port and other encouragement for
research projects on the campus.
These latter have grown until at
present there are some 20 indus
trial organizations and government
tai agencies cooperating to support
research in the Department of
Chemical Engineering alone.
Within the past year, other re-
search gains at the University have
included the arranging of a series
of lectures by leaders of research
in science and in humanities, and
the survey of research needs b.
faculty members, with recommend.
alton to the president on distribu
tion of $4,000 budgeted for genera
faculty research. This fund, cover
ing fellowships, assistance, equip.
ment, supplies, and travelling ex
penses to special libraries, sup
ported all research projects rang
ing from the study of genes in tn,
development of a parasitic wasp t.
studies in Delaware's history. Thes,
University-aided projects are in ad
ditiOn to numerous independen
; ones in agriculture, biology, chemi
cal engineering and chemistry, &c
onomics, English, fine arts, history
mathematics and the library, il
which about two-score facult,
members and research fellows hav
participated.
The new director of these activi
ties is 43-year-old native of Madi
son, Wis, who received his bache
lor's degree in 1926, his master
degree in 1927, and his doctorat
two years later, all from the Uni
versity of Wisconsin. Meanwhile h
held two fellOwships at Wisconsin
During the last war, he was in
strumental in the use of the Chemi
cal Engineering laboratories of tn