About the Natural Science Collections Alliance The Natural Science Collections Alliance is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit association that supports natural science collections, their human resources, the institutions that house them, and their research activities for the benefit of science and society. Our members are part of an international community of museums, botanical gardens, herbariums, universities and other institutions that house natural science collections and utilize them in research, exhibitions, academic and informal science education, and outreach activities. Membership in the NSC Alliance links you to a network of institutions, scientists and other professionals in North America through which you can share news, information and common concerns - and help shape the future of our community. NSC Alliance in the News Published on 25 Jul 2013 NSF Awards Third Round of Grants to Advance Digitization of Biodiversity Collections The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded eight grants as part of the Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections (ADBC) program. The program aims to increase accessibility of biological collections and associated data. The latest round of funding will support three major grants and five smaller projects. “The ADBC program continues to grow in the breadth of its collections, including fossils, and in the depth of additional information about each specimen,” says John Wingfield, NSF Assistant Director for Biological Sciences. According to a press release from NSF, digital photos of specimens will be linked with related information, such as pathogens found on the specimens, stratigraphic information for fossils, and environmental variables at the collecting localities. Three new Thematic Collections Networks (TCNs) will be funded. There are seven existing TCNs. The new TCNs are: Fossil Insect Collaborative: A Deep-Time Approach to Studying Diversification and Response to Environmental Change Developing a Centralized Digital Archive of Vouchered Animal Communication Signals The Macroalgal Herbarium Consortium: Accessing 150 Years of Specimen Data to Understand Changes in the Marine/Aquatic Environment Additionally, five new Partners to Existing Networks (PEN) grants were announced. These smaller grants will enhance existing TCNs by adding their collections to fill gaps identified in the original network proposals. Two new partner awards will focus on increasing the coverage of the Paleoniches TCN, which is focused on ages and localities not included in other TCNs. Three other PENs will expand the Southwest Arthropod Network, add central Midwest specimens to the InvertNet TCN, and add two historically important collections to the lichen and bryophyte TCN. Published on 25 Jul 2013 Participate in the U.S. Virtual Herbarium Survey The 2013 U.S. Virtual Herbarium Survey is now online. This survey is designed to assess the progress herbaria in the United States are making towards the goal of making records of all specimens in all U.S. herbaria available online. The information provided by survey participants is used in reports, grant proposals, and articles highlighting a herbarium’s need for support or advertizing its accomplishments. Participate in the survey at https://docs.google/forms/d/1xcY-mT7r8VQ14io6wgu9FXEo1ZQc4GBGPsBl9FdnpjI/viewform. Published on 03 Jul 2013 A Reason Why Natural History Collections Are So Important A recent post on the blog “The Lab and Field” explored why natural history museums are “essential for science.” The blogger described his recent use of bird specimens to study moult energetics in Least Auklets. The species spends most of the year over the Pacific Ocean, where they are inaccessible to researchers. Using 60 specimens of Least Auklets from museum collections in Canada, the U.S., Russia, and Japan, the researcher was able to determine moulting patterns throughout the year, not just when the species is on land for breeding. Learn more at labandfield.wordpress/2013/06/29/natural-history-museums/. Published on 24 Jun 2013 Deadline Approaching for Proposals for Collections in Support of Biological Research Proposals for the National Science Foundation’s Collections in Support of Biological Research program are due 16 July 2013. The Collections in Support of Biological Research program provides funds: 1) for improvements to secure, improve, and organize collections that are significant to the NSF BIO-funded research community; 2) to secure collections-related data for sustained, accurate, and efficient accessibility of the collection to the biological research community; and 3) to transfer collection ownership responsibilities. Read the solicitation at nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503651. Published on 17 Jun 2013 NSF Seeks Proposals for Digitization Program The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals for the Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections program. This initiative seeks to enhance and expand digital data documenting existing vouchered biological and paleontological collections. The deadline for full proposals is 18 October 2013. More information is available at nsf.gov/pubs/2013/nsf13569/nsf13569.htm. Published on 07 Jun 2013 Survey Request: State of Taxonomy, Systematics Education The NSC Alliance has been asked to circulate the following survey to our members. I hope you will take a few moments to complete this survey. Regards, Larry Page President Dear Colleagues: We are writing to invite you to participate in a survey on the state of teaching in taxonomy and systematic biology. If your area of expertise and interest lies outside of this discipline, you may simply ignore this invitation or perhaps forward it to an appropriate colleague. We are conducting the survey as independent scholars and are not representing any institution or organization. An article by Costello et al. earlier this year (”Can we name earth’s species before they go extinct?”, Science 339: 413) painted an optimistic picture that seems at odds with many papers over the past decade claiming a decline in taxonomy and systematic biology. We were unable to find recent data supporting either claim and decided that it would be of value to the community to gather some basic data. Our intent is to summarize and make the data available to the community in a brief publication. Our examination of the state of teaching is obviously only one facet of a complex issue, but having the results of this survey will, we hope, help. We have asked you to identify your institution so that we can detect multiple responses from any single source. We will not identify you or your institution in our published results. The survey instrument may be found at: https://surveymonkey/s/systematicbiologyteaching Thank you in advance for your participation in the survey. Andrew Brower Quentin Wheeler Elizabeth Yockey Published on 07 Jun 2013 USDA Proposes New Rule for Preservation of Paleontological Resources The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to implement regulations to provide for the preservation, management, and protection of paleontological resources on federal lands. The rule would address the management, collection, and curation of paleontological resources from federal lands including management using scientific principles and expertise, collecting of resources with and without a permit, curation in an approved repository, maintaining confidentiality of specific locality data, and authorizing penalties for illegal collecting, sale, damaging, or otherwise altering or defacing paleontological resources. Public comments must be received by 22 July 2013. More information is available at gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-05-23/html/2013-12173.htm. Published on 07 Jun 2013 Call for Session Proposals: 2014 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference The 2014 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference is soliciting proposals from the community for sessions to address the conference themes and integrative topics. For guidelines and submission instructions, please visit gulfofmexicoconference.org/program/scientific-sessions/. The deadline for submissions is 30 June 2013. Published on 03 Jun 2013 Sign Up to Showcase Science to Policymakers This August The Natural Science Collections Alliance is proud to announce that it joining with the American Institute of Biological Sciences and Entomological Society of America to sponsor the 5th Annual Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event. This national initiative is an opportunity for biologists across the country to meet with their federal or state elected officials to showcase the people, facilities, and equipment that are required to support and conduct scientific research. The 5th Annual Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event will be held throughout the month of August 2013. This event is an opportunity for scientists, graduate students, representatives of research facilities, and people affiliated with scientific collections to meet with their elected officials without traveling to Washington, DC. Participants may either invite their elected officials to visit their research facility or can meet at the policymaker’s local office. Participants will be prepared for their meeting with a lawmaker through an interactive training webinar. Individuals participating in this event will receive information about improving their communication skills, tips for conducting a successful meeting with an elected official, and information about federal funding for biological research. Participation is free for NSC Alliance members, but registration will close on July 15, 2013. For more information and to register, visit aibs.org/public-policy/congressional_district_visits.html. Published on 22 May 2013 NSC Alliance Endorses Guiding Principles for the America COMPETES Act Reauthorization The NSC Alliance has joined a broad coalition of scientific organizations and universities in endorsing a set of guiding principles for the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. The law outlines policies and goals for ensuring America’s continued international leadership in science and engineering. Congress is currently considering changes to the America COMPETES Act. The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee could vote on legislation in the near future. The principles focus on: Ensuring funding growth for basic science and engineering research across all disciplines and major research agencies, Maintaining and promoting scientific literacy and strengthening the pipeline of scientists and engineers, and Preserving research excellence and opportunity by sustaining the research funding system of peer review and reducing or eliminating unnecessary regulations. Read the complete principles at https://aau.edu/registration/public/Guiding_Principles_for_Community_Support_of_America_COMPETES_Reauthorization_as_of_4-18-13.pdf.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 23:58:40 +0000
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