| Description | Present at the meeting: Professor C F A Pantin in the chair; Dr A J Cain; Dr W E China; Dr J E Dandy; Dr F C Fraser; Dr H Godwin; Dr M W Holdgate; Dr E O Pearson; Professor J E Smith; Mr T C S Morrison-Scott attended by invitation
Matters discussed;
1. Minutes of the meeting on 23 March 1960 amended and confirmed
2. Subcommittee Membership - new members Dr H R Fletcher, Dr H Godwin and Professor J E SMith appointed, and Mr T C S Morrison-Scott coopted
3. Discussion of future action - subject considered so important, ' it was agreed;
3.1 The Taxonomy Subcommittee feels that the question of the need for more taxonomists and the provision of taxonomic training is of such great national importance that it cannot be adequately discussed by a small subcommittee, and that the Council of the Royal Society should be asked directly to constitute a Committee to consider the question in conjunction with such other interested bodies as the British Museum (Natural History), Kew, The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh and other institutions where taxonomy is practised.
3.2 The discussions of the Subcommittee so far have made it quite clear that a very great deal of work has in fact already been done on this subject, for instance in October 1956 the Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History) approached the Lord President of the Council through the Chairman of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy for his views on the improvement of the supply of taxonomers and these facts should be before any Committee now dealing with the subject.
3.3 That, as has previously been shown by the discussions in 1956, the Subcommittee is firmly convinced that there will not be any great increase in the number of taxonomists produced until the number of staff and students working in the British Museum (Natural History) can be greatly increased and the expansion of working space at the British Museum (Natural History) to provide more room both for studies and collections and for laboratories for ancillary services is essential and the first requisite in the increase of the supply of taxonomies.
3.4 The two most important steps which would lead to an improvement in the position (i.e. the expansion of the British Museum (Natural History) and the provision of grants for training taxonomists at the University level) involve the question of pollicy at the British Museum (Natural History) and other institutions where taxonomy is practised, and policy in the research councils with regard to the provision of grants for taxonomic work and universities with regard to post graduate studies and higher degrees. Any committee therefore which is to deal with this problem must have the authority to make enquiries of the universities, major institutions, research councils etc and to incorporate its findings in any memorandum that is prepared.
4.5 Council should be informed of the urgency of this matter and of the opinion of the Subcommittee that steps should be taken to remedy this problem within ten years. One member of the Subcommittee estimates that within the next ten years 80 new taxonomists will be needed within the field of invertebrate zoology (not including the insects) alone, to replace the deficiency expected to arise from retirements, deaths etc. of existing taxonomists.
4.6 With regard to the questions referred to the Subcommittee, it is not difficult to provide numerous instances of the economic importance of taxonomy, or to give examples of the present position of taxonomy in the Universities. It can immediately be pointed out that in zoology there are at present only three appointments for lecturers in taxonomy.
4.7 The subcommittee considers that the issues involved are very large and that a decision must be taken as soon as possible as to how this problem is to be considered on a national basis. ' |