The effect of administrative service responsibilities of chemistry department chairs on their scholarly careers as scientists was studied. The relationship between selected personal and work environment characteristics and productivity was compared for department chairs and their full-time faculty peers. A total of 67 chemists who had served as chairs of departments between 1966 and 1973 but who had not served in this capacity for a 6-year period preceding and following were studied. Each was compared with a peer with the same academic rank and specialty area, in the same academic department. Four publication productivity measures were assessed: single-authored, senior-authored, junior-authored, and total publications. The number of Ph.D. students sponsored (i.e., graduated) was also assessed as a productivity measure. Five measures of personal and work environment characteristics were obtained for all 134 chemists. Regression analysis indicated few differences between the two groups, except during the chair interval, during which reduced publication productivity occurred. The productivity of department chairs on all four publication measures was related to department size. (SW)