Cross-Roads in Studies of Galaxy Evolution

Richard S Ellis

Published 2001-01-19Version 1

Studies of galaxy evolution at optical and near-infrared wavelengths have reached an interesting point in their historical development and the arrival of a new millenium provides an appropriate occasion to review the overall direction in which this subject is moving. The aim of this short essay is to emphasize the qualitatively different datasets now arriving and the more detailed and challenging scientific analyses needed for future progress.