Blinded by the Sun

When the retiring professor in a Chemistry department of a northern university chooses Al, a mediocre scientist but a brilliant administrator, to succeed him as head of the department, he sets in motion a chain of events that will test the department's endurance to the limit

Al begins reorganizing the department, but soon finds that Christopher his peer and rival, and Elinor, his one-time teacher whom he worships, are unwilling to change the mysterious, isolated way in which they work

Then Christopher announces a major breakthrough, which should assure a prosperous future for all ... but ultimately has disastrous results