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 Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is holding a special competition for institutions with living collections of plants and animals to receive the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. The Bookshelf consists of a core set of 12 resources on the preservation and care of collections, as well as six texts specifically designed to […]
Researchers at the American Museum of Natural History, in New York City, have developed a DNA-based system that can identify individual species of wildlife. The analysis, which is based upon unique DNA signatures, is being used to identify the source of animal products and meats confiscated by customs agents around the world. Previously, investigators were […]
A new exhibit in the gallery at the National Academies of Science in Washington, DC, explores the stories and collections filling the back rooms of the Harvard Natural History Museum. The exhibit, “The Rarest of the Rare,” is a collection of photographs from renowned photographer and art curator Mark Sloan. The exhibit features photos of […]
In a blog post on August 4, 2009, New York Times columnist Olivia Johnson writes about a recent visit to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Johnson, an evolutionary biologist at Imperial College London, finds that the visit inspires her to think about genetic research utilizing specimens in natural collections. “It is the DNA […]
Do not miss the chance to meet with your members of Congress this August. The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is offering scientists and research facilities around the nation the opportunity to convey the importance of biological research to their elected officials in their home state. With Event Sponsors NSC Alliance, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, […]
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking reviewers for proposals submitted to the Academic Research Infrastructure — Recover and Reinvestment (ARI-R2) program, a program supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. ARI-R² is designed to support 21st century research and research training infrastructure in academic institutions and non-profit research organizations, such as […]
NSC Alliance Launches Campaign for an Executive Order from President Obama on Science Collections During the past year, the NSC Alliance Board of Directors has monitored the work of the federal government’s Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections (IWGSC). This panel, whose charter expired at the end of the Bush Administration, recently released survey results […]
The National Park Service (NPS) and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) have signed an agreement that is intended to aid research on endangered species. According to NPS documents, the agreement creates the National Park Service Special Collection at the AMNH which will house frozen tissue samples containing DNA of threatened and endangered animals […]
NSC Alliance past-president Dr. Michael A. Mares has published a viewpoint article in the July/August 2009 issue of the journal BioScience. Mares’ article draws attention to the challenges facing many of the nation’s natural science collections and encourages federal and state policymakers to take immediate action to preserve the nation’s thousands of scientific collections. The […]
On July 15, 2009, the Natural Science Collections Alliance submitted comments to the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the revision of the 2007 “Charting the Course” report. The report, which identifies and prioritizes ocean science and technology endeavors over the next decade, is currently being revised and refreshed. In its comments, NSC Alliance […]