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 provided testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees regarding funding for certain programs that curate natural history collections. The testimony addressed programs within the Department of the Interior and Smithsonian Institution. Scientific collections are critical infrastructure for our nation’s research enterprise. Research specimens connect us to the past, are used to […]
The Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance) provided testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, highlighting the importance and role of natural history collections. “Natural science collections advance research that improves public health, agriculture, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and American innovation. Current research involving natural science collections also contributes to the development of […]
The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN) will convene a series of webinar programs in 2018 to share information about BCoN activities with the community and to receive community input on prior and pending BCoN programs. These webinars will include a formal presentation followed by an opportunity for participants to ask questions and share information. All programs […]
The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance) have arranged for Anne Kinsinger, Associate Director for Ecosystems at the United States Geological Survey (USGS), to provide information about the administration’s fiscal year 2019 budget request for the division. The Ecosystems program at the USGS is responsible for research and […]
Congress has passed and the President has signed a bipartisan appropriations bill with $1.3 trillion in federal spending for fiscal year (FY) 2018. The House voted 256-167 and the Senate voted 65-32 to approve the bill that distributes funding for the remainder of FY 2018. The omnibus appropriations legislation provides either increased or level spending […]
The President of the National Science Collections Alliance sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Appropriations asking the lawmakers to reject the proposed termination of the Biological Survey Unit and restore other on-going research initiatives at the U. S. Geological Survey. Read the letter here.
On February 7, 2018, the NSC Alliance sent a formal request to the US Geological Survey requesting that the agency reverse a decision to remove 10 USGS scientists from their assigned job functions at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Read the letter here.
In 2017, the NSC Alliance engaged in a number of notable activities to raise the profile of natural history collections with policymakers, researchers, and the general public. A few highlights are presented below: Helped secure a 3 percent funding increase for the Smithsonian Institution in fiscal year 2017 and prevented large cuts to the budgets […]
On December 13, leaders in Congress announced that they had reached a final deal regarding tax reform legislation. The compromise is reportedly more similar to the bill passed by the Senate than the legislation crafted by the House. Notably, the compromise purportedly retains the existing tax break for charitable deductions. However, since the standard deduction […]
Free this spring or summer? Intern at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and join a team of passionate ocean educators and scientists to design and host public programs that expand the themes of the museum’s Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend temporary exhibit to different audiences including adults, families, and teens. Interns will work […]