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.
Catalog records for thousands of field books from the Smithsonian Institution are now available online. The Field Book Project makes available details about the collection of biological specimens from 542 collections housed at the Smithsonian Institution. More than 6,600 field books are included in the project. In addition to the detailed catalog records, researchers now […]
The December 2012 issue of the journal BioScience includes an article entitled “The Value of Hidden Scientific Resources: Preserved Animal Specimens from Private Collections and Small Museums.â€Â The article highlights the value of small natural history collections in research. The article is available for free at http://www.jstor.org/stable/full/10.1525/bio.2012.62.12.9.
The Natural Science Collections Alliance has prepared a short report on digitization of natural history collections. The document outlines the potential uses of digitized data and its value to researchers, students, decision makers, and the public. Examples are presented of how digitized specimens and their associated data are being put to use. The following is […]
A recent publication by the Texas Tech University Natural Science Research Laboratory presents methods for determining the costs of collecting and preparing mammal voucher specimens. Such information is useful in justifying budget requests from administrators and in formulating policies on specimen usage and replacement, according to the paper’s authors. At Texas Tech University, the average […]
People around the country are taking action today to stand up for science. Join the national day of action to voice your support for federal investments in research and science education. The biological sciences community needs to express its opposition to further cuts to the federal programs that invest in research, support education, and protect […]
House Republicans were busy last week determining who will lead the chamber’s twenty-five committees in the next Congress. Although some chairmen will retain their positions, changes are in store for at least one committee with jurisdiction over science. Notably, the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee will have a new leader next year. Representative Lamar […]
The NSC Alliance Board of Directors will convene via teleconference on Tuesday, 27 November 2012. Member institutions are welcome to suggest topics for discussion by the board. Suggestions should be submitted to NSC Alliance President Dr. Larry Page at lpa…@flmnh.ufl.edu.
After a protracted and contentious election, our nation’s political leaders now face the daunting task of addressing the fiscal cliff. Unless lawmakers take action, the policies encompassed in the fiscal cliff will automatically go into effect this January. Included are tax increases and federal budget cuts. Federal science programs would be subject to at least […]
Comments are now being accepted on a draft Implementation Plan for a Network Integrated Biocollections Alliance. The Implementation Plan builds upon the work of an earlier report: A Strategic Plan for Establishing a Network Integrated Biocollections Alliance. The Strategic Plan issues a strong and urgent call for an aggressive, sustained, coordinated, and large-scale effort to […]
The culmination of the lengthy 2012 election season has brought some change to Congress. A dozen new Senators and roughly 80 new Representatives will be sworn in as part of the 113th Congress in January. The winners in a handful of other races have yet to be announced. In the House of Representatives, where all […]