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 Natural Science Collections Alliance is pleased to announce that your organization, as an Alliance member, is eligible to participate in the 2021 Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event. This national initiative, organized by the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), and co-sponsored by NSC Alliance, is an opportunity for scientists from across the country […]
A study published in Ecological Applications examined a century of museum specimens to reveal increasing microplastic concentrations in freshwater fish. Researchers examined the guts of freshwater fish preserved in collections housed at the Field Museum, the Illinois Natural History Survey, and the University of Tennessee. They found that fish have been swallowing microplastics since the […]
NSC Alliance has joined a group of scientific, professional, and academic organizations in sending a letter to 24 federal science agencies and departments in support of diversifying the science advisory committees that support policy decisions across the government. The groups argue, in part: Lack of racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in the federal government is […]
NSC Alliance has provided comments to the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee, chaired by the National Science Foundation (NSF), on its Draft Arctic Research Plan. The comments highlight the critical role of biorepositories and collections in Arctic research. “We believe that the role of biorepositories should be emphasized in multiple parts of the plan, but […]
The Natural Science Collections Alliance has endorsed bipartisan legislation introduced by House Science Committee leadership to expand the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) mission and budget. The National Science Foundation for the Future Act (H.R. 2225) proposes doubling NSF’s budget to $18.5 billion over five years and creating a new Directorate for Science and Engineering Solutions (SES) that […]
The Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance) has submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Committee, requesting Congress to provide the National Science Foundation with at least $10.2 billion in FY 2022 and highlighting the importance and role of natural history collections. The testimony reads, in part: “Collections are a critical resource for advancing the knowledge […]
On April 21, 2021, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a revised version of the Endless Frontier Act (EFA) a bill that would create a technology-focused directorate within the National Science Foundation (NSF). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Todd Young (R-IN), Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) introduced the bill […]
The NSC Alliance has submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Committee regarding fiscal year (FY) 2022 funding for certain programs that curate natural history collections within the Department of the Interior and Smithsonian Institution. “Preservation of specimens and the strategic growth of these collections are in the best interest of science and the best interest […]
Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the crucial role played by biodiversity collections in enabling rapid responses to crises and in facilitating ongoing research across numerous fields. Despite the recognized value of this infrastructure, the community nevertheless has further opportunities to maximize its value to the scientific enterprise. A new Viewpoint article in […]
A coalition of more than 200 scientific and academic stakeholder groups, including NSC Alliance, have asked President Biden to champion the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act (H.R.869, S.289) and support full funding for the initiatives the legislation would create. The widespread, detrimental impact of COVID-19 on research and researchers, particularly those from underrepresented […]