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Their chief value is that of an index
and what may be called quasi-scientific puttering
 

      These totals seem impressive. Their chief value is that of an index. It must be remembered, however, that in the same year two corporations in the electrical industry both spent more than double the total outlay of the engineering colleges on research activities and that at least two in other industries spent more than this total. Recent data on the research expenditures of industrial concerns, collected by the Division of Industrial and Engineering Research of the National Research Council show that at least six corporations are spending upwards of $1,000,000 per annum on research apart from all normal production. Returns from 800 concerns indicate an average outlay in 1927 of $44,500 for these purposes, or 1.3 per cent. of their invested capital. This amount represents a gain of 90 per cent. over the preceding year. Engineering colleges are spending an average of $10,000 apiece for like purposes. Furthermore, it would be very illuminating, if it were possible, to classify the expenditures of the colleges under such heads as actual research for fundamental knowledge, first-aid problems for industry, routine engineering testing, and what may be called quasi-scientific puttering. Confessedly the amount of real 24-carat research would be relatively small, for the reason that few teachers of engineering are capable of doing it or directing it. But then, the American attitude toward language is notoriously easy-going and we use the “word” research to mean so many things that we have no word left to mean “research.”
      In view of the contrast between the research activities of the colleges and those of big business, it is safe to assume that corporations at this end of the scale are not going to turn to the engineering colleges to get their fundamental problems solved. For one simple reason, they can not wait long enough. Furthermore, big business has discovered the publicity values of research. Big business can probably be induced to invest money in organized research in engineering colleges only on the plea that such activity is necessary in order to maintain the needful setting and staff for training the grade of researchers and engineers that big business requires. Industry is likely to reply that many of their most productive researchers are drawn from departments of pure science.

ex W. E. Wickenden, “Research in the Engineering Colleges.” Science 69:1786 (March 22, 1929) : 312-318 (316) : link

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William Elgin Wickenden (1882-1947), engineering executive, president of Case School of Applied Science, main author of the Report of the Investigation of Engineering Education 1923-1929 (two vols, 1930 and 1934)
wikipedia : link
 

3 September 2025