Being a volcanologist as you are, do you actually believe you field of study is more important or desirable than a sedimentary petrology? Volcanologist get to study the basic "building blocks" that comprise all other lithologies. Whereas, met.and sed. petrologists have a greater knowledge base of all petrologies. You guys go for the glamour positions and are hardly worthwhile to the geological sciences. Any other petrologist could do what you do. Volcanologist's "work" in pristine environments. Astounding beauty surrounds you but sed. petrologist get their noses down in the valleys, and depositional basins. Real man's work. No playing games here!

Billy Mac

The only two statements of yours that I'd strongly disagree with are that any igneous petrologist can do volcanology, and that sed. pet. is real man's work. Although there are igneous petrologists who think volcanology is simple stuff, they quickly realize that this is wrong when they actually start doing the work. It is the height of arrogance for any discipline to think that their training makes them qualified to do somebody else's work just because theirs seems harder. Second, you have to know that there are lots of women doing very good sedimentary petrology work (and volcanology). Nothing is real "man's" work anymore.

Sincerely,

Scott Rowland

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