[Taxacom] MSc taxonomy

[Michael A. Ivie]

Darn, --make that "a thousand specimens" my mistake, not hers.

Michael A. Ivie wrote:
> Today, our entomology group at Montana State University will gather to 
> watch a student defend her M.Sc. thesis in entomology in front of her 
> graduate committee.  Said thesis is a Revision of a genus of 47 species 
> of West Indian beetles, with resolution of a horrible nomenclatural 
> mess, many synonymies, lecotype designations, the move of members of 6 
> current generic combinations from 2 subfamilies moved into a single 
> genus supported by a spectacluar unique, newly discovered synapomorphy 
> of the female internal tract.  It includes a full phylogenetic analysis, 
> plus description of 27 new species, both extant and fossil, based on a 
> thousand species borrowed from nearly 30 collections.  The first key to 
> the genus, fully illustrated, will cap off this work.  It nears 300 
> pages of text (double spaced) and plates.  This very excellent piece of 
> work, the result of 2 and a half years of work in classes, laboratory 
> and museums, is an example of what caps off an M.Sc. in taxonomy in the 
> better universities of the USA and Canada. 
>
> This is just the most recent of a long string of such students of whom 
> we are justly proud.  And, we are not unique at this university nor in 
> entomology, in having such a history.
>
> If someone is looking for an M.S. program in systematics, there are 
> dozens of places to do one in North America, in a wide variety of taxa.  
> Some programs are less rigorous, some more, but there are many that are 
> truly excellent.  The Coleopterists Society even has a cash award, the 
> J. Gordon Edwards Prize, awarded to the best paper published on beetles 
> each year, derived from a Master's degree thesis.  If there was no 
> competition, there would be no point.
>
> Send us your best, we will train them.
>
> Mike
>
> Mark Costello wrote:
>   
>> Dear Taxacom readers,
>>
>>  
>>
>> It is difficult or impossible to teach taxonomy as part of undergraduate
>> degrees nowadays. Courses I know off are usually days to weeks. However, I
>> believe MSc options would be possible, with a mix coursework (including
>> practical) providing a breadth of knowledge, followed by a research project
>> doing taxonomy. They may focus on agricultural/marine/freshwater/insect etc.
>>
>>
>> Are there any such courses around? 
>>
>>  
>>
>> Best wishes
>>
>> Mark 
>>
>>  
>>
>>   
>>     
>>> <>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><> ><>
>>>     
>>>       
>> Dr Mark J. Costello, Associate Professor,
>> Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland,
>> PO Box 349, Warkworth 0941, New Zealand.
>> [Delivery address 160 Goat Island Road, Leigh, New Zealand]
>> Direct tel. +64-9-3737599 ext 83608; Reception +64-9-422 6111
>>
>> Mobile +64-21-186 9878
>> Fax +64-9-422 6113; Email  <mailto:m.costello at auckland.ac.nz>
>> m.costello at auckland.ac.nz
>>
>> Skype: markcostello
>> Website  <http://www.marine.auckland.ac.nz/> www.marine.auckland.ac.nz
>> Other websites:
>>
>> Member Governing Board of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System
>> <http://www.iobis.org/> www.iobis.org. 
>> Secretary General of the International Association of Biological
>> Oceanography  <http://www.iabo.org/> www.iabo.org. 
>> Chair of the World Register of Marine Species and Chief Editor of the
>> European Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org   
>>
>> Chair of the Society for the Management of European Biodiversity Data
>> <http://www.smebd.eu/> www.smebd.eu
>> Manager of Marine Research Information (email) NEtwork on biodiversity;
>> archives at  <https://listserv.heanet.ie/marine-b.html>
>> https://listserv.heanet.ie/marine-b.html.
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>> The University of Auckland 1883-2008: Celebrating 125 Years
>>
>>  
>>
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>>
>>
>>   
>>     
>
>   

-- 
__________________________________________________
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Michael A. Ivie, Ph.D., F.R.E.S.

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