"we will slowly lose the amateur entomologists"
Paul Cherubini
paulcher at concentric.net
Sat Jun 26 14:05:45 EDT 1999
Mike Quinn wrote:
> It's my contention that the numbers of students persuing professional
> careers in entomology would have flattened out or dropped off with or
> without the increased interest in entomology by amateurs. The jobs just
> aren't out there due primarily to an ever increasing emphasis on molecular
> studies and the current march towards transgenic crops.
I disagree. I do not think the driving force behind the rise in entomology majors in the late
1960's and 70's was due to a perception of improving employment opportunities for
entomologists. I feel it was driven by increasing numbers of kids who developed a keen
interest in insects, science and research (mainly in species of butterflies and moths that
have little or no economic importance) at an early age and wished to pursue that interest
into adulthood regardless of employment prospects. I feel that interest would have been
dampened if the kids and teenagers of the 60's and 70's had been deprived of the
opportunity to collect butterflies, moths and other insects to their hearts delight.
Paul Cherubini
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