CSBR: Natural History: Expansion and Curatorial Support of the T.M. Sperry Herbarium at Pittsburg State University to Enhance Teaching, Research and Outreach in the 21st Century

匹兹堡州立大学的西奥多·M·斯佩里植物标本馆收藏了大约65,000个植物标本，这些标本有助于记录堪萨斯州东南部和邻近地区相对丰富的植物多样性。它是堪萨斯州第三大植物标本馆，也是区域和全球植物系统学活跃研究的中心。在过去的五年里，该标本馆全面实施了现代策展标准，并让学生参与到这一过渡的方方面面，包括标本准备、数据库和数字成像等策展技术。新创建的堪萨斯和地区参考资料收藏是一个独立的收藏，用于加快和确认学生和其他标本使用者对标本的初步鉴定。斯佩里植物标本馆还收藏了前馆长的重要历史收藏，以前的区域、国家和国际研究项目的凭证标本，以及现任馆长的研究材料。近年来，在内部努力将信息数字化后，内部和外部的标本使用量有所增加。在线数据的可获得性大大增加了标本的价值，用于目前和未来在分类学、生态学、土地利用管理和其他依赖植物分布数据的学科中的应用。该项目为T.M.Sperry标本馆的基础设施升级和扩建提供支持。购置67个新的全尺寸和12个半尺寸标本柜将显著扩大其标本容量，加强收藏品的长期安全和保存，并允许适度但持续的扩张约30年。它还支持将毗邻哈特曼大楼的斯佩里植物标本馆搬到更大、更合适的位置，这将增加整体工作空间并提高工作流程效率。该项目工厂包括标本的数据基础、地理参考和数字成像，以及通过NSF资助的iDigBio项目(idigBio.org)和其他门户网站(如北大平原草药联盟)在线获取所有数据。对学生培训的支持包括资助一名硕士学生和四名本科生协助标本馆的管理和搬迁到新的设施。作为一所地区性的国家支持的农村大学，匹兹堡州立大学为许多第一代大学生和许多经济困难背景的学生提供服务。总体而言，该项目将显著加强T.M.斯佩里植物标本馆的教学、研究和推广，并在STEM领域提供大量经验学习机会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Theodore M. Sperry Herbarium at Pittsburg State University houses approximately 65,000 specimens of plants, which help document the relatively rich plant diversity of southeast Kansas and adjacent areas. It is the third largest herbarium in Kansas and a seat of active research in plant systematics regionally and globally. The herbarium has fully implemented modern curatorial standards in the past five years and involved students in all aspects of this transition, including curatorial techniques such as specimen preparation, data basing, and digital imaging. The newly created Kansas and Regional Reference Collection is a stand-apart collection used to expedite and confirm tentative identification of specimens by students and other users of the herbarium. The Sperry Herbarium also houses important historical collections of past curators, voucher specimens of previous regional, national and international research projects, and research material of the present curator. Specimen usage internally and externally has increased in recent years following internal efforts to digitize information. The availability of data online significantly augments the value of specimens for current and future uses in systematics, ecology, land-use management, and other disciplines that rely on the distributional data of plants. This project provides support for infrastructure upgrades and expansion for the T.M. Sperry Herbarium. The acquisition of 67 new full and 12 half-sized herbarium cabinets will expand its specimen capacity significantly, enhance the long-term security and preservation of collections, and allow for moderate but sustained expansion for approximately thirty years. It also supports moving the Sperry Herbarium next door to the Hartman Building into a larger and more suitable location, which will increase overall workspace and enhance work-flow efficiencies. The project plant includes data basing, georeferencing, and digital imaging of specimens and the accessibility of all data online through the NSF-funded iDigBio project (idigbio.org) and other portals such as The Consortium of Northern Great Plains Herbaria. Support for student training includes funding for a Masters student and four undergraduate students to assist with curation and move of the herbarium to its new facilities. As a regional state-supported rural university, Pittsburg State University serves many first-generation college students and many from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Overall, the project will significantly enhance teaching, research, and outreach of the T.M. Sperry Herbarium and provide numerous experiential learning opportunities in one of the STEM fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.