Task Group on Training in Invertebrate Zoology

无脊椎动物是地球上生物量最大的动物，从经济角度来看，对它们的研究具有重要意义。在过去的三十年里，学生在无脊椎动物动物学方面的培训质量和程度在全国范围内都出现了严重的下降。这种培训的减少导致几代生物科学本科生和研究生对其科学工作所涉及的生物多样性的认识急剧下降。与此同时，生物研究界正在失去对生物多样性的认识，这些生物多样性可以发展成解决紧迫研究问题的模型系统。一个由著名生物科学家组成的工作组将在威廉博士的指导下召开会议，讨论美国大学本科生无脊椎动物教学日益恶化的状况。该委员会负责建议高等院校、州政府和联邦政府如何与私营部门合作，扭转美国教育领域的这一严重趋势。该委员会的建议和优先行动可以显著增加无脊椎动物动物学方面的培训机会。

Invertebrates represent the largest animal biomass on earth and from an economic point of view their study is of great importance. During the past three decades there has occurred a serious national decline in the quality and extent of student training in invertebrate zoology. This decline in training has resulted in several generations of undergraduate and graduate students in the biological sciences with a drastically reduced awareness of the biological diversity in which their scientific work is embedded. In conjunction, the biological research community is losing the awareness of the diversity of organisms which could be developed into models systems for the solution of urgent research problems. A task group of eminent biological scientists, under the direction of Dr. Willows, will convene to discuss the deteriorating state of invertebrate teaching in American universities at the undergraduate level. This committee is charged with suggesting how institutions of higher learning, state and federal governments, can cooperate with the private sector to reverse this serious trend in American education. The committee's recommendations and prioritized actions could significantly enhance training opportunities in invertebrate zoology.