University of Virginia Library

'Let Them Starve'

According to Mr. Trasco,
another problem is: "What are
we going to do with all the
astronomers that we are
producing?"

"I think that we are going
to let them starve," he said.
"Up to now we've been able to
find positions for most of
them, largely because
astronomy is a small field and
you can always call up
someone and say, "I have a
student who is really the finest
thing since Galileo and can't
you find a place for him in
your department for a year or
so.

"There is enough of
everyone knowing everyone

else to do this for a while. I
think you're reaching the
saturation point now. You're
producing astronomers not at
an overwhelming number, 100
to 150 a year, but universities
are producing jobs at a much
lower rate, maybe a few a
year."