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.
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 […]
The European Union has funded a new two year project to lay the groundwork for a biodiversity knowledge management system. Pro-iBiosphere will address interoperability issues, identify data gaps, and plan an efficient system to manage biodiversity information. The pilot project will focus on data at partner institutions. The initiative will consider how to make the […]
Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award. This award recognizes graduate students in the biological sciences who have demonstrated initiative and leadership in science policy. Recipients receive first-hand experience at the interface of science and public policy. Winners receive: A trip to Washington, DC, to participate in the […]
The American Society of Parasitologists (ASP) has written to government agricultural leaders regarding the state of the U.S. National Parasite Collection. The letter calls for action “to avoid further erosion of the museum’s collections, to modernize the holdings and make them more accessible to users through appropriate modern interfaces, to deal with a backlog of […]
NSC Alliance President Larry Page participated in a panel discussion on biodiversity collections at the CODATA meeting in Taipei, Taiwan, on 30 October 2012. Discussion centered on the value of collections data to understanding and solving current and emerging policy problems, including natural resource management and loss of biodiversity. The discussion was organized by Melissa […]
After weeks of negotiations, the United Nations 11th meeting of the conference of parties (COP 11) to the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed to increase funding to halt global loss of biodiversity. This pledge will help nations to meet internationally agreed upon biodiversity targets set by the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 that was developed […]
Election day is rapidly approaching. Participate in democracy by voting on Tuesday, November 6th. The next Congress and President must address many significant issues. Â Many of these will affect every American and, potentially, the level of support for scientific research for years to come. Make your voice heard, vote on November 6th. Contact your state […]
The Museum Assessment Program is seeking applications for its 2013 program. The program helps small and mid-sized museums strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet national standards through self-study and a site visit from a peer reviewer. The program is funded by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and throughout its […]