In European industry, just as in the US, physicists are of course ubiquitous, with activities that are fairly representative of all scientists. But a number of questions can be posed about the European industrial physicist, and we hope to provide some of the answers here. Although many of these answers will be true of Western Europe generally, we shall often refer to the UK, where we know the situation best. Some of the questions we wish to examine are: How many industrial physicists are there? What do they do, and how are they doing it? Under what type of organization, and with what funds, do the industrial laboratories in which they work operate? What is their role in the great contemporary issues, energy and the environment? And finally, what is the future of physicists in industry?

1.
Physics Bulletin, March 1973, page 169.
2.
European Physical Society memorandum, July 1971.
3.
“Framework for Government Research and Development” (White Paper), Command 5046, HMSO, London (1972).
4.
Report of the Research Requirements Boards, Department of Industry, HMSO, London (1973).
5.
Physics Bulletin, June 1974, page 224.
6.
Physics Bulletin, July 1974, page 281.
7.
Van Riemsdijk, H. A. C., Speech given at the Annual Conference, European Industrial Research Management Association, Brussels, May 1974.
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© 1974 American Institute of Physics.
1974
American Institute of Physics
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