Subject: Amateurs and professionals in entomology

From: Gaden Robinson <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 1995 15:06:51 GMT

Several days ago, Sam Sun wrote:
"...As in many scientific fields, "amateurs" can often make significant
contributions, and stifling all collecting except in the name of a large
scientific institution can stand in the way of discoveries. While there are
those who would abuse the privilege, if granted, to collect in limited
numbers, I think most collectors would respect the right and everybody
would benefit from it...."

I am in the privileged position of being a professional lepidopterist but,
like most of my colleagues, I have an amateur origin. I can only heartily
endorse Sam's comment. Most of this Department's 27 million specimens
(this mind-blowing figure does not include recent vast collections still in
preservative and awaiting sorting and labelling) were collected, prepared
and identified by what we would consider "amateurs"; much of the
taxonomic foundation of the Lepidoptera was developed by "amateurs".
The data used today in mapping and monitoring schemes is collected
almost entirely by amateurs.

Simply, without the historical role of amateur entomologists and their
present-day activities, entomology as we understand it would not exist
and many current research activities would not survive.

The increasingly frenetic cultural climate of science in the developed
world tends to isolate the professional from the amateur. There is a
tendency to forget one's roots every so often. But if one does so, one
risks losing not just the people who are an invaluable adjunct to one's
science but also alienating a distinct group of "end-users" of the very
product for which society employs the professional in the first place. This
is particularly the case with taxonomists.

So it is incumbent upon the professional entomologist whose research
functions link with amateur interests to make sure that polarities do not
develop. As professionals we need to talk to amateur interest groups, to
deploy a proportion of our resources in exchanging information,
encouraging and teaching, and indulging in good old basic public
relations. The amateur naturalists' fraternity is, arguably, the
professionals' most potent lobby group. And in some areas the amateurs
are our eyes and our ears and our spare pairs of hands.

During the past few years our small group of professional
microlepidopterists has "used" amateurs to collect quantitative samples
using light traps in mangrove forest in Borneo, to deploy oviposition baits
for Tineidae in West Africa, and to help label and prepare specimens
back here in the laboratory. Amateurs have also abstracted and typed
caterpillar hostplant information from around the world into what is
rapidly becoming a large and very useful database. [More of the last in a
later posting - we need more help and more data!]

These [personal] observations do not apply just to the developed world.
It is the army of amateur naturalists in developing countries who must
eventually provide the "muscle" in biodiversity survey and inventory in
tropical habitats. They will comprise the lobby-groups and NGO's
involved in future environmental/conservation decision-making
processes. One role of the developed-world professional entomologist is
to facilitate the provision of information, identification resources and raw
data to these groups, and to actively assist and participate in the transfer
of appropriate skills.

These skills must inevitably include collecting - for identification of taxa
that cannot be recorded "on the wing" and for the development of local
or national reference collections that will ensure consistency of
identification as well as voucher specimens.

For large international institutions in the developed world collecting is
still necessary. At the simplest level we need in one or a few locations to
be able to provide a global overview of diversity and to enable
phylogenetic relationships (which are independent, of course, of national
boundaries) to be elucidated.

Amateur entomologists with the ability to collect and record insects are
a vital component of mankind's effort to understand and identify the
myriad species with which we share the planet. Their activities should not
be seen as distinct from those of the professional nor should their amateur
status be seen as inferior in some way.

"Stifling all collecting except in the name of a large scientific
institution" will stifle a great deal of everything else and would be
thoroughly detrimental to natural science as a whole.

Us professionals have our place, but without the enthusiasm and
flexibility of amateurs it would be a dull place indeed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Gaden S. Robinson, Biodiversity Division, Department of Entomology,
The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, LONDON SW7 5BD, UK.
Tel.: +44-(0)171-938-9494. Fax: +44-(0)171-938-8937.
INTERNET: [email-masked] [or] [email-masked]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The NHM Volunteer Scheme places helpers from a wide variety of
backgrounds in one of the five Science Departments. For further details
ask staff for further information or call Devinder Culver on:
0171-938-8988.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

---

From: [email-masked] (john janovy)
Date: 2 Apr 1995 05:40:35 GMT

Gaden Robinson ([email-masked]) wrote:

: Several days ago, Sam Sun wrote:
: "...As in many scientific fields, "amateurs" can often make significant
: contributions, and stifling all collecting except in the name of a large
: scientific institution can stand in the way of discoveries. While there are
: those who would abuse the privilege, if granted, to collect in limited
: numbers, I think most collectors would respect the right and everybody
: would benefit from it...."

: I am in the privileged position of being a professional lepidopterist but,
: like most of my colleagues, I have an amateur origin. I can only heartily
: endorse Sam's comment. Most of this Department's 27 million specimens
: (this mind-blowing figure does not include recent vast collections still in
: preservative and awaiting sorting and labelling) were collected, prepared
: and identified by what we would consider "amateurs"; much of the
: taxonomic foundation of the Lepidoptera was developed by "amateurs".
: The data used today in mapping and monitoring schemes is collected
: almost entirely by amateurs.

: Simply, without the historical role of amateur entomologists and their
: present-day activities, entomology as we understand it would not exist
: and many current research activities would not survive.

: The increasingly frenetic cultural climate of science in the developed
: world tends to isolate the professional from the amateur. There is a
: tendency to forget one's roots every so often. But if one does so, one
: risks losing not just the people who are an invaluable adjunct to one's
: science but also alienating a distinct group of "end-users" of the very
: product for which society employs the professional in the first place. This
: is particularly the case with taxonomists.

: So it is incumbent upon the professional entomologist whose research
: functions link with amateur interests to make sure that polarities do not
: develop. As professionals we need to talk to amateur interest groups, to
: deploy a proportion of our resources in exchanging information,
: encouraging and teaching, and indulging in good old basic public
: relations. The amateur naturalists' fraternity is, arguably, the
: professionals' most potent lobby group. And in some areas the amateurs
: are our eyes and our ears and our spare pairs of hands.

: During the past few years our small group of professional
: microlepidopterists has "used" amateurs to collect quantitative samples
: using light traps in mangrove forest in Borneo, to deploy oviposition baits
: for Tineidae in West Africa, and to help label and prepare specimens
: back here in the laboratory. Amateurs have also abstracted and typed
: caterpillar hostplant information from around the world into what is
: rapidly becoming a large and very useful database. [More of the last in a
: later posting - we need more help and more data!]

: These [personal] observations do not apply just to the developed world.
: It is the army of amateur naturalists in developing countries who must
: eventually provide the "muscle" in biodiversity survey and inventory in
: tropical habitats. They will comprise the lobby-groups and NGO's
: involved in future environmental/conservation decision-making
: processes. One role of the developed-world professional entomologist is
: to facilitate the provision of information, identification resources and raw
: data to these groups, and to actively assist and participate in the transfer
: of appropriate skills.

: These skills must inevitably include collecting - for identification of taxa
: that cannot be recorded "on the wing" and for the development of local
: or national reference collections that will ensure consistency of
: identification as well as voucher specimens.

: For large international institutions in the developed world collecting is
: still necessary. At the simplest level we need in one or a few locations to
: be able to provide a global overview of diversity and to enable
: phylogenetic relationships (which are independent, of course, of national
: boundaries) to be elucidated.

: Amateur entomologists with the ability to collect and record insects are
: a vital component of mankind's effort to understand and identify the
: myriad species with which we share the planet. Their activities should not
: be seen as distinct from those of the professional nor should their amateur
: status be seen as inferior in some way.

: "Stifling all collecting except in the name of a large scientific
: institution" will stifle a great deal of everything else and would be
: thoroughly detrimental to natural science as a whole.

: Us professionals have our place, but without the enthusiasm and
: flexibility of amateurs it would be a dull place indeed.
: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: Dr Gaden S. Robinson, Biodiversity Division, Department of Entomology,
: The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, LONDON SW7 5BD, UK.
: Tel.: +44-(0)171-938-9494. Fax: +44-(0)171-938-8937.
: INTERNET: [email-masked] [or] [email-masked]
: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
: The NHM Volunteer Scheme places helpers from a wide variety of
: backgrounds in one of the five Science Departments. For further details
: ask staff for further information or call Devinder Culver on:
: 0171-938-8988.
: ----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry about not having learned to snip out large chunks of a previous 
posting (I will eventually figure it out on our system); but maybe 
Gaden Robinson's words are worth reading again in order to get to a 
response such as mine.

Robinson's remarks apply across the board, in my view, not just to 
entomology or lepidopterists.  We really do have an obligation to 
interact intellectually with the "amateurs" for a whole variety of 
reasons. I've never known a scientist whose manuscript was rejected 
because he/she taught well, interacted easily and effectively with 
politicians and businesspersons, or spread the fascination with 
nature into a naive audience.  Papers and grants get rejected for 
reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with our teaching (in the 
broadest sense).  Let us talk about our work to anyone who will 
listen, and if they won't listen, then perhaps it's our responsibility
to learn the techniques for making them want to listen. Thanks, Dr. 
Robinson, for the important words!

John Janovy, Jr.
Interim Director
Univ Nebr State Museum
[email-masked]