Derek Lowe, an Arkansan by birth, got his BA from Hendrix College and his PhD in organic chemistry from Duke before spending time in Germany on a Humboldt Fellowship on his post-doc. He's worked for several major pharmaceutical companies since 1989 on drug discovery projects against schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases.
To contact Derek email him directly: derekb.lowe@gmail.com
Twitter: Dereklowe
If you had SciFinder access, but are now unemployed and would like to use it during your job hunt, CAS now has a program to make that possible for free. I'm glad to see them taking this step; a lot of people have asked for something like this for some time now.
Well, well, well, a bone from the ACS for its members, I am shocked and amazed as usually all we members ever get from the ACS is The Bone and an overpriced membership bill.
#4
I like depression,unemployment,layoffs,and outsourcing. I like to watch my friends go places while I wallow in unemployment. Where do I sign up for a career in chemistry?
It's nice that they are doing that, though I hope they broaden the program (time and task-wise).
As another commenter notes, journal access during unemployment and is small companies is also problematic. You need to subscribe to several services to get all the journals critical in chem and med chem.
@Chemjobber
From recent experience I can say that (at least at my school) these are password protected, you have to register, and these registrations expire every year.
15. A Nonny Mouse on January 8, 2012 1:39 PM writes...
I have to agree that, as a small company, the cost of obtaining literature is prohibitive; I have had to obtain a JCS paper from 1976 which was £32 (almost $50!) plus tax of 20%. ACS in comparison is really quite cheap and is allowing the download of 25 papers per year if a member.
As for university libraries, forget it! As an alumni of Imperial I used to use the Science Museum Library quite frequently. As it is now incorporated into Imperial's library all is electronic and can only be used by students; the chemistry library only holds the last 2 years journals in hard copy.Very frustrating!
16. Frmr Mrk Scntst on January 8, 2012 9:13 PM writes...
This would have been great for Merck scientists a decade ago, when SciFinder access was severely rationed by the VP of Research Information Systems. It was felt to be an extravagance.
17. Chemjobber on January 9, 2012 9:46 AM writes...
Spoons: Huh -- that's too bad. I've found that local public universities usually have some accomodation for 'the general public' to have access to journals and the like.
Now, of course, if your local university library has been hit hard by budget cuts or the school doesn't have a particularly strong chemistry department... that's troublesome, too.
18. newnickname on January 9, 2012 2:46 PM writes...
@12, 14, 17: e-Journal Access. I also find that e-resources are more and more restricted. Even where I have access, I often have to log in repeatedly to get through the permissions rigamarole. For many institutions, I'm sure it is licensing issues that publishers are probably prepared to enforce that forced them to cut back on the number of free seats in the libraries.
@16: I feel your pain! I was there too going through the same pain. The funniest thing was those manager who did little science (i.e. bench) had a total access, while one who really worked their butt off had little or no access.
20. newnickname on January 16, 2012 6:23 PM writes...
I'm posting this very belatedly to the original post so maybe no one will see it. There is a FREE structure searchable reaction database at www dot webreactions . NET . It is around 400,000 reactions, maybe recent only until 1998 or so and not as sophisticated as SciFinder but it also sometimes finds unique, non-SciFinder hits.
"CAS appreciates your previous experiences with SciFinder and is grateful for the opportunity to support you in your new job search. You have been approved for complimentary SciFinder access for a period of up to 6 months(1/12/2012 – 7/11/2012) or up to 100 activities (whichever occurs first). Your subscription is intended for use in assisting you with your career search."
22. Future_Unemployed on July 6, 2012 11:05 AM writes...
@Chemjobber: I was under the impression that using the library resources of a university without being affiliated with them is a violation of copyright law. I have seen signs posted to this effect at a public university, which is a shame that a local taxpayer to a state university is unable to use the resources.
1. Nick K on January 6, 2012 4:35 PM writes...
What a tragic, tragic comment on the current plight of chemists. SciFinder for the unemployed!
Permalink to Comment2. Anonymous on January 6, 2012 6:00 PM writes...
Well, well, well, a bone from the ACS for its members, I am shocked and amazed as usually all we members ever get from the ACS is The Bone and an overpriced membership bill.
Permalink to Comment3. drug_hunter on January 6, 2012 8:08 PM writes...
Fine print:
"I may receive complimentary SciFinder access for a period of up to 6 months or up to 100 activities (whichever occurs first)."
That would last me about a week -- a month at most...
Permalink to Comment4. PharmaHeretic on January 6, 2012 8:24 PM writes...
Why would any sane person want to go back into chemistry after all that has occurred within the last decade?
Permalink to Comment5. wierdo on January 6, 2012 10:16 PM writes...
#4
Permalink to CommentI like depression,unemployment,layoffs,and outsourcing. I like to watch my friends go places while I wallow in unemployment. Where do I sign up for a career in chemistry?
6. InfMP on January 6, 2012 11:59 PM writes...
Scifinder subscip is useless without journal access. reading abstracts is not enough.
Permalink to Comment7. petros on January 7, 2012 4:24 AM writes...
And the ACS is one of the worst offenders for not making older journal articles freely available.
Permalink to Comment8. Pete on January 7, 2012 8:54 AM writes...
As Marie Antoinette said, "Let them eat cake".
Permalink to Comment9. Lu on January 7, 2012 9:41 AM writes...
I only use Scifinder a few times a year. Google Scholar, Pubmed and Scopus are much more usable now.
Permalink to Comment10. Yb on January 7, 2012 9:53 AM writes...
#4 >> yes I should very much like to do something other than chemistry. Or chemistry. Either way actually.
Permalink to Comment11. Fred on January 7, 2012 10:12 AM writes...
It's nice that they are doing that, though I hope they broaden the program (time and task-wise).
As another commenter notes, journal access during unemployment and is small companies is also problematic. You need to subscribe to several services to get all the journals critical in chem and med chem.
Permalink to Comment12. Chemjobber on January 7, 2012 10:23 AM writes...
Depending on your geographic location, local universities usually have fairly decent access to the electronic chemical literature. (Usually.)
Permalink to Comment13. DG on January 8, 2012 8:14 AM writes...
Thanks Derek,
I like SciFinder and have access to my local University library, including online journal access, so I'll look into that.
Permalink to Comment14. Spoons on January 8, 2012 12:10 PM writes...
@Chemjobber
Permalink to CommentFrom recent experience I can say that (at least at my school) these are password protected, you have to register, and these registrations expire every year.
15. A Nonny Mouse on January 8, 2012 1:39 PM writes...
I have to agree that, as a small company, the cost of obtaining literature is prohibitive; I have had to obtain a JCS paper from 1976 which was £32 (almost $50!) plus tax of 20%. ACS in comparison is really quite cheap and is allowing the download of 25 papers per year if a member.
As for university libraries, forget it! As an alumni of Imperial I used to use the Science Museum Library quite frequently. As it is now incorporated into Imperial's library all is electronic and can only be used by students; the chemistry library only holds the last 2 years journals in hard copy.Very frustrating!
Permalink to Comment16. Frmr Mrk Scntst on January 8, 2012 9:13 PM writes...
This would have been great for Merck scientists a decade ago, when SciFinder access was severely rationed by the VP of Research Information Systems. It was felt to be an extravagance.
Permalink to Comment17. Chemjobber on January 9, 2012 9:46 AM writes...
Spoons: Huh -- that's too bad. I've found that local public universities usually have some accomodation for 'the general public' to have access to journals and the like.
Now, of course, if your local university library has been hit hard by budget cuts or the school doesn't have a particularly strong chemistry department... that's troublesome, too.
Permalink to Comment18. newnickname on January 9, 2012 2:46 PM writes...
@12, 14, 17: e-Journal Access. I also find that e-resources are more and more restricted. Even where I have access, I often have to log in repeatedly to get through the permissions rigamarole. For many institutions, I'm sure it is licensing issues that publishers are probably prepared to enforce that forced them to cut back on the number of free seats in the libraries.
Permalink to Comment19. me too on January 10, 2012 2:44 PM writes...
@16: I feel your pain! I was there too going through the same pain. The funniest thing was those manager who did little science (i.e. bench) had a total access, while one who really worked their butt off had little or no access.
Permalink to Comment20. newnickname on January 16, 2012 6:23 PM writes...
I'm posting this very belatedly to the original post so maybe no one will see it. There is a FREE structure searchable reaction database at www dot webreactions . NET . It is around 400,000 reactions, maybe recent only until 1998 or so and not as sophisticated as SciFinder but it also sometimes finds unique, non-SciFinder hits.
Permalink to Comment21. DJ DrZ on January 17, 2012 9:27 AM writes...
I just received my free account access...
"CAS appreciates your previous experiences with SciFinder and is grateful for the opportunity to support you in your new job search. You have been approved for complimentary SciFinder access for a period of up to 6 months(1/12/2012 – 7/11/2012) or up to 100 activities (whichever occurs first). Your subscription is intended for use in assisting you with your career search."
Permalink to Comment22. Future_Unemployed on July 6, 2012 11:05 AM writes...
@Chemjobber: I was under the impression that using the library resources of a university without being affiliated with them is a violation of copyright law. I have seen signs posted to this effect at a public university, which is a shame that a local taxpayer to a state university is unable to use the resources.
Permalink to Comment