Natural Science Collections Alliance
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.
The NSC Alliance submitted testimony to the Senate in favor of sustained funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in fiscal year 2014. The testimony supports the President’s budget request of $7.626 billion for FY 2014, an increase of $593 million above FY 2012. “The progress of basic scientific research requires a steady federal investment,†[…]
A new initiative by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) offers 100 million mapped records of nearly every living species in the U.S. Biodiversity Information Serving Our Nation (BISON) provides specific locations for the vast majority of records, not just county or state records. “The USGS is proud to announce this monumental resource,” said Kevin […]
The National Science Foundation has issued a new solicitation for proposals for the Collections in Support of Biological Research program. The full proposal deadline is 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 […]
The National Science Foundation is highlighting some of the research advances that have been made possible because of supercomputing. From better prediction of earthquakes to describing the minute details of proteins, supercomputers are enabling researchers to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge. “Science is now investing in these super computers, and they are where many […]
Even though President Obama has yet to release his budget plan for fiscal year (FY) 2014, both chambers of Congress have pressed ahead with their planning. Last week, the House and Senate each passed a budget resolution for FY 2014. Although a budget resolution is not binding, it does provide a target for total spending […]
Lawmakers have avoided a government shutdown with passage of a Continuing Resolution for fiscal year (FY) 2013. The legislation, H.R. 933, will fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends on 30 September 2013. The House and Senate have passed the bill with bipartisan support, and it has been sent […]
On Thursday, 20 June 2013, NSC Alliance and iDigBio will sponsor a symposium on digitization and dissemination of natural history data. The symposium is broken out into two sessions. The morning program will be an introduction to digitization and dissemination of data and will focus on iDigBio and other initiatives. The afternoon session will focus […]
The National Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Program will hold a webinar on 2 April 2013 on identification of aboriginal lands. Under federal law, museums and federal agency officials must consult with Indian tribes from whose aboriginal land human remains and other cultural items were removed. Register for the event at https://www.livemeeting.com/lrs/8000963084/Registration.aspx?pageName=7111x2nwqg6m8c0w. The […]
On 1 March 2013, federal budget cuts that — according to the White House and members of Congress — were not meant to happen, began. Sequestration — $85 billion in across-the-board budget cuts to nearly all federal agencies — was meant as a threat to force congressional action to reduce the federal budget deficit. For […]
A new report calls for the creation of a Network Integrated Biocollections Alliance to increase research productivity, solve societal problems, and drive innovation. The report was the outcome of a workshop of experts that was convened last fall to outline the steps needed to build a Network Integrated Biocollections Alliance (NIBA) in the next ten […]