Renovation of ANSP Entomology Department Research Collection & Associated Lab

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。费城自然科学院昆虫系（ANSP）将利用这些资金振兴其现有的研究设施，以确保保护美国最重要的昆虫学研究收藏之一，并以此支持和促进21世纪的研究和研究培训。该奖项提供资金翻新和升级有缺陷的木制开架移动压实机系统，采用最先进的压实金属橱柜，包括密封金属门。作为橱柜货架专有部分的昆虫储存箱将根据需要进行更换。压实机甲板表面的恶化，加剧了收集的额外损坏的风险，将被修复。对现有暖通空调系统的改造将减轻温度和湿度的波动，这也会威胁到收集。研究设施老化的天花板瓷砖将被防虫害和防水的“洁净室”瓷砖取代，以提高暖通空调改造的有效性。美国自然科学院成立于1812年，是美洲最古老的自然科学机构和博物馆。ANSP的昆虫学部门拥有北美最大和分类最完整的昆虫学收藏之一，广泛收集了19世纪早期的昆虫标本。ANSP昆虫学研究的重点是系统昆虫学。该改造项目将确保该馆的全球馆藏能够延续到21世纪，成为一个生物图书馆，记录疾病媒介、农业害虫、气候和环境变量，以及昆虫动物群的系统发育、分类、生态和生物多样性。新的压实机设计将增加约20%的存储容量，促进收藏增长，并整合目前研究人员无法获得的积压的附加材料。该收藏服务于当地、区域、国家和国际读者，并被来自广泛学术机构的学生和教育工作者以及常驻和访问科学家广泛使用。ANSP昆虫学研究设施的翻新确保了这些重要的收藏品将得到保护，并永久地提供给科学界进行研究和学习，并通过学院展览、教育计划和幕后参观向公众开放。昆虫学研究基础设施的改善将加强下一代教育工作者、科学家和系统昆虫学家的研究培训。昆虫学系的昆虫学研究机会将越来越多地面向科学院自然科学女性项目的参与者，这是一个面向高中女生的科学充实项目，下一代志愿者，大学生，包括本科生项目参与者的研究经验，以及中学生和在家学习的学生。昆虫学研究设施的现代化将大大有利于日常运作；满足借阅请求，处理信息和数据请求，回答公众问题，接待学生和科学家，系统研究，以及收集和管理。翻新允许重建和组织必要的物种数据库的创建，最终服务于互联网，供国家和世界使用。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The Entomology Department at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia (ANSP) will use these funds to revitalize its current research facility to ensure the conservation of one of the nation's most important entomological research collections, and in doing so, support and promote 21st century research and research training. This award provides funds to renovate and upgrade the defective wooden open-shelved mobile compactor system with state-of-the-art compactorized metal cabinetry including sealed metal doors. Insect storage cases that are a proprietary part of the cabinetry shelving will be replaced as required. The deteriorating compactor deck surface, which exacerbates the risk of additional damage to the collection, will be repaired. The renovation of the existing HVAC system will mitigate fluctuations in temperature and humidity that also threaten the collection. The research facility's deteriorating ceiling tiles will be replaced with pest and water-resistant "clean room" tiles increasing the effectiveness of the HVAC renovation. The Academy of Natural Sciences was established in 1812 and is the oldest natural science institution and museum in the Americas. The Entomology Department at ANSP holds one of the larger and more taxonomically complete entomological collections in North America with an extensive collection of insect specimens dating from the early 19th Century. The primary focus of ANSP entomological research is systematic entomology. The renovation project ensures that the collection's worldwide holdings continue into the 21st century as a biological library documenting disease vectors, agricultural pests, climate and environmental variables, and the phylogeny, taxonomy, ecology and biodiversity of our insect fauna. The new compactor design will increase storage capacity by ca. 20% promoting collection growth and the integration of a backlog of accessioned material currently unavailable to researchers. The collection serves a local, regional, national and international audience and is used extensively by students and educators from a broad range of academic institutions, and by resident and visiting scientists. The renovation of the Entomology research facility at ANSP ensures that this significant collection will be protected and available in perpetuity to the scientific community for research and study, and to the general public through Academy exhibitions, educational programs and behind-the-scenes tours. Improvement of the Entomology research infrastructure will enhance research training of the next generation of educators, scientists and systematic entomologists. Opportunities for entomology research in the Entomology Department will be increasingly accessible to the participants of the Academy's Women in Natural Sciences Program, a science enrichment program for high-school girls, next-generation volunteers, university students, including Research Experience for Undergraduate Program participants, and secondary and home schooled students. Modernization of the Entomology research facility will benefit greatly the day to day functioning; fulfilling loan requests, addressing information and data requests, fielding questions from the public, hosting students and scientists, systematics research, and collection care and curation. Renovation allows the recuration and organization necessary to undertake the creation of a species database of the collection ultimately served to the internet for national and worldwide use.