PRF At 52 –Time For A Closer Look

The 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Petroleum Research Fund (PRF) was celebrated with a special symposium at the ACS national meeting in Philadelphia in August of 2004. Highlights of the history of the PRF grants program were included in a C&EN Comment column at that time (C&EN, Aug. 9, 2004, page 38). During the 52 years of its existence, the charitable, scientific, and educational fund known as PRF has provided the means for ACS to invest more than $460 million in the research community.

The impact from these many grants can be measured in a number of ways, just one of which is through citations in our respected ACS journals. More than 18,000 publications acknowledging ACS PRF support have appeared in ACS journals during the life of the fund.

These figures and the stories told at the symposium in 2004 by renowned recipients of PRF grants demonstrate clearly that the ACS PRF grants program has made a significant difference in the careers of many scientists and engineers while providing the funds for advancing some important fundamental research in petroleum-related fields.

The original PRF Trust document indicates that PRF grants are to be used "for advanced scientific education and fundamental research in the 'petroleum field,' which may include any field of pure science which in the judgment of the Transferee may afford a basis for subsequent research directly connected with the petroleum field." This fairly broad language has enabled continued support of basic research and advanced scientific education in the fields of chemistry, geology, and related engineering areas as these fields have grown and developed over the past 50 years.

In 2001, ACS assumed full control of PRF, including administration and full oversight of the funds. In its eminent history, PRF has never had a comprehensive review of its impact and future direction. Thus, the PRF Advisory Board asked at its February 2006 meeting that the ACS Board initiate a process for this thorough evaluation of the structure and strategic direction of PRF.

The ACS Board, which has the policy oversight and the fiduciary responsibility for the fund, agreed to do so, and such an evaluation is now under way. It is being led by a Steering Committee made up of two members from the PRF Advisory Board, two members from the ACS Board, and two ACS staff liaisons. The main objective of this important exercise is to be sure that the ACS PRF grants program is strategically placed in the future to have an impact that a fund of this size (more than $20 million per year) and distinguished history should have in consideration of the current research climate and the scientific challenges facing the nation.

Many questions need to be answered before any proposals for change can be put forth. Should the grants be used mainly to support the careers of young scientists and engineers or to support transformative research? Should they be used to mainly support research in areas of alternative sources of energy, or should the support remain as it is now for many areas of petroleum-related research? Should there be fewer but larger grants extending over a longer period of time? Should PRF support more "cutting-edge" research or "riskier" research? What about the amount of support for research at the undergraduate level and the amount of support for research being carried out by members of underrepresented groups in the chemical sciences, geology, and engineering fields now included in PRF support?

These and many more questions are now being addressed. Members of the PRF Advisory Board and the ACS Board have been interviewed, and we are now seeking input from a much broader segment of the scientific community. The Steering Committee would very much appreciate receiving your thoughts on the future strategic direction of the ACS PRF grants program. You are invited to send your comments before Oct. 15 to prfcomments@acs.org.

The timeline for the evaluation and review includes a workshop of external experts reacting to some straw proposals that will take place at the end of this year and then the presentation of one or more proposals to the PRF Advisory Board and the ACS Board in the spring of next year. This is the opportune time for your valuable input to be included in the considerations for the future of the PRF program.

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.