> A Master Beekeeper - Bees put food on my table., my kids through college  
> and pay the mortgage. If you're that good, you're a Master. If you still  
> have a day job, like I do, you're not there yet.

Perhaps we can agree that it's both? There's the practical aspect (trade)  
of making a living and then there's the theoretical aspect (both for  
academic research and education). Sometimes the two overlap. Do the  
particular titles matter?

Let's not be so bee-centric and look at other disciplines. In order to  
properly call yourself an 'engineer' in the US you have to pass the  
Professional Engineer exam. You then get to put 'PE' on your business  
card. It's a grueling examination of massive theoretical knowledge from  
all aspects of engineering. My brother has passed it and he has MS in  
Mechanical Engineering. But, even though he can tell his car mechanic all  
about the properties of every metal alloy in his car and detect by sight  
signs of early metal fatigue, he still has to bring his car to the  
mechanic in order to have it fixed. Is his MS diploma worthless?

My brother's MS diploma has 'master' in its title, but it's not enough for  
the mechanic's trade. Mechanics don't design cars, just as mechanical  
engineers (largely) do not run car repair shops.

I don't see why people get hung up on the Master Beekeeper title, if it  
clearly focuses on the more theoretical aspect of beekeeping. No one is  
making a claim that a Master beekeeper can walk into a commercial  
beekeeping operation and run it better. Or even *know* how to run it! But  
I bet you that someone with that certificate (from a reputable program -  
Christine's example clearly shows that there are worthless ones out there)  
will not be clueless either and won't be able to contribute and teach the  
commercial operation a thing or two.

It's ying and yang and both are needed. Let's move on to the more fun  
neonicontinoid debate, :-)

Przemek

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