In article <serross-2307961333180001 at se-ross.sci.shizuoka.ac.jp>,
Robert M. Ross <serross at sci.shizuoka.ac.jp> wrote:
>At Shizuoka University in Japan the biology and geology departments have
>merged, and we are trying to determine an English name. The department
>has three sections, pure biology, pure biology, and environmental sciences
Do you mean "pure biology, pure geology, and enviromental sciences"?
>(those at the interface of the two fields). A possibility is "Life and
>Earth Sciences," but one opinion that we have heard is that the term "Life
>Sciences" is usually used in association with medical studies. Any
>opinions about this, or alternative suggestions, would be grately
>appreciated.
>>Robert M. Ross
><serross at sci.shizuoka.ac.jp>
Actually, Life Sciences tends in the U.S. to include many NON-medical
fields such as agriculture, animal science, and forestry. It is hard to
make a suggestion without knowing more about the focus of the biological
component of the department--is it ecology & systematics? cell and
molecular? all of the above? I'd say you might call the department
something like "Department of Life and Earth Sciences"--or perhaps
"Department of Natural Sciences."
I don't know of any such combination at a major university in the
U.S.--though some liberal arts colleges might do this.
--Dave Lewin
