On the trail of Nepal's flora

for training the next generation of scientists? Career paths and scientific training in the United States probably need to evolve to meet current challenges. It is generally agreed that alternative (nonacademic) careers in science should be bolstered, but graduate school and postdoctoral training are getting longer as the bar for achieving a ‘successful story’ for publication becomes ever higher. Technology development also is acknowledged to be a driver for the biological sciences, but individuals with such interests do not have clear career paths and grant support in the academic system. We also need to consider ways of supporting young academic scientists who are willing to try creative and risky experiments, rather than a safe and guaranteed trail of papers. I am not sure that I have answers to these issues, but I think that it is time to try some ‘experiments’ in education and not be complacent with the status quo that has been in operation for decades.