Re: Paleo Rhodes Scholar

["Matthew Bonnan" <mbonnan@hotmail.com>]

Mary Kirkaldy wrote about the recent Rhodes Scholar:

"Yes, extremely prestigious.  Note to those who are struggling with science
and math courses:  This is your competition in paleontology."

Mary is right, but here is something for all the undergraduates and other 
students struggling after paleontology to think about.

Do not specialize early.  Be as broad as possible.  Do you have interests in 
anatomy, physiology, math, computer science, etc.?  If you do, make sure you 
incorporate these things into your studies and research.  Get degrees from 
broad departments: biology, geology, physics, etc.  There are many jobs for 
hard-working people who can teach a broad scope of biological, geological, 
physical, chemical, etc. sciences.  In most cases, you will be able to do 
paleontological research as well.

It is often misleading when people on the list and elsewhere speak of the 
problems of going into paleontology as a career.  Yes, getting jobs just 
doing paleontology are few and far between and competition will be fierce.  
On the other hand, the world always needs anatomy instructors to teach first 
year med students anatomy.

Just something to think about.  Don't limit yourselves.  There's a big world 
out there full of non-dinosaur things.  Take it all in and develop your 
skills in other areas you like.  That's how most of us in this field or 
trying to get jobs get them.  Few of us on this list and elsewhere are paid 
to do only paleontology-related things.

Rock on,

Matt Bonnan

"Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus, and Nanotyrannus
"None of these guys had a U-shaped sauropod manus."
-- M. Bonnan =)

"The impossible is often the untried."
-- ???

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