SVP Outreach and the dearth of active professionals

[rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu (Mickey Rowe)]

I'm not sure what the problem is/was, but when Sally Shelton sent her
message in which she wrote that we could write to her about the SVP
Outreach program, her address was not included in the message.  Her
address is:

libsdnhm@CLASS.ORG

As for the questions about why professional paleontologists aren't
more active here, I think there are several reasons.  The lurkers most
likely think that Tom is doing a great job maintaining a high level of
scholarship on the list (for which we're all grateful!), so they don't
*have* to say much.  Faculty positions at universities require a lot
of time just on the things that *must* be done, so even reading this
list could be/is considered too much of a burden for little to no
pay-off.  Some professors that we've had on the list have unsubscribed
before going out into the field, and never re-subscribed.  From the
conversations I've had with people (both electronic and face to face),
I think the list is something they might like to find the time to
enjoy, but they never get around to (re)subscribing.  Others have felt
overwhelmed once they have, and thus haven't been able to stick
around.

Finally, *I* can spend a good bit of time here because my work is
currently very computer intensive (though please don't let me leave
you with the impression that I'm a paleontologist).  As I write this,
I'm also analyzing data that I collected over a year ago.  As
morphometric analysis, image analysis etc. tools become more prevalent
in paleontology, we can expect to see more people with similar
opportunities.  However, my impression is that currently most
paleontologists spend very little time sitting at computer terminals,
and thus don't have the opportunity to participate as (for example)
Tom does.

That's how it appears to me anyways...

-- 
Mickey Rowe     (rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu)

P.S. For those of you "lurking" out there, I hope you won't be
offended if I nudge you a little bit.  At least one of you should have
something interesting to say about pterosaurs and their competition
with birds.  Please don't be shy!