Discusses the development and future of Prophet,'' a specialized information handling system for pharmacology research. It is designed to facilitate the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge about mechanisms of drug action, and it is hoped that it will aid in converting pharmacology research from an empirical to a predictive science. (JR)

Discusses a $500 million Arab fund to promote regional research on topics such as arid land development, water resource development, and solar energy. (MLH)

Discussed is the establishment of a Center University of MassachusettsIndustry Research on Polymers (CUMIRP) at the University's Amherst campus. CUMIRP involves the university, a group of 13 corporations, and the National Science Foundation working together to forge closer research ties between unversities and industry. (Author/DS)

The value of cooperative work/study experiences for chemistry students is discussed. Benefits suggested include novel lab experiences gained in industry, maturity and direction of career for the co-op student, and breadth in educational experience. (SA)

Discusses the drive to raise science and engineering education's funding in the NSF budget from 9 percent to 20 percent. Notes that the target is $600 million per year. (MVL)