Directors of Industrial Research (U.S.)

The Directors of Industrial Research was formed in 1923 by and for the directors of America's foremost industrial research laboratories, and has functioned as a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on topics of mutual interest.

Charter members represented the National Canners' Association, the National Carbon Research Laboratory, Singmaster and Breyer, Western Electric Company, the National Research Council, the National Lamp Works, the Dorr Company, the Engineering Foundation, Eastman Kodak, International Nickel Company, E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, Westinghouse Electric, United States Industrial Alcohol Company, and General Electric.

The group met first at the suggestion of Dr. Robert M. Yerkes of the Laboratories of Comparative Psychobiology at Yale and Chairman of the Research Information Service of the National Research Council, Dr. Charles L. Reese of Du Pont, Vice-Chairman of the Research Information Service, and Alfred D. Flinn of the Engineering Foundation, Vice-Chairman of the eesearch Information Service. After an informal dinner in March of 1923, the guests formed a habit of lunching together monthly and in November of that year elected officers, including a secretary.

Some of the D.I.R. charter members had been accustomed to meeting sporadically during World War I to discuss topics of mutual interest. As recalled in 1948 by Dr. Frank B. Jewett of Western Electric and AT & T, these men were eager to continue their wartime associations, and welcomed the opportunity to do so in the framework of an organization. This organization was and is, like its parent organization the National Research Council, committed to the progress of scientific research. But the members of the D.I.R. wished to focus on this research specifically as it applied to industry and within the context of the industrial research laboratories. The D.I.R. declared itself separate from the National Research Council several years after its inception.

Meetings continued at monthly luncheons. At each, a talk was given by either a member or an invited speaker. Subjects included relations between research laboratories and other departments of their companies, the effects of economic conditions and of pending legislation on industrial research in progress by members and others. There is some question as to the effect of the exchange of information on such subjects by D.I.R. members, but it may well have led to informal consensus in policies employed by members in running their laboratories.

The D.I.R. has traditionally acted collectively only in an informal way, as in their annual outings. However, they did some lobbying in regard to several bills regarding patents and a research association proposed by Maurice Holland of the National Research Council in the late 1930s. The group eventually abandoned the taking of official positions on such subjects.

A sub-group on analytical chemistry was formed in 1944 by D.I.R. members for the purpose of discussing methods of chemical analysis. It broke up in 1945 and was re-established in 1948 with the plan of providing a forum for discussion and information exchange in much the same way as its parent organization did. The Analytical Group was initially composed of men selected by D.I.R. members, each research director nominating a representative from his own company.

From the description of Records, 1929-1982. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122370814