Biological Collections: Crucial upgrades to specimen storage, organization, and database management at the rapidly growing Texas A&M Collection of Fishes

自然历史藏品记录了地球上过去和现在的生命，是研究生物多样性的宝贵和不可替代的资源。妥善和长期管理自然历史藏品，包括实物标本及其相关数据，对当代和未来研究人员的科学研究至关重要。德克萨斯农工大学的鱼类收藏是一个以大学为基础的鱼类学收藏，在过去的20年里经历了快速的增长。这个收藏在德克萨斯农工大学校园和更多地区发挥着双重研究和教学作用，为德克萨斯州和其他美国南部州的其他大学的研究人员提供参考收集和标本库。该项目的一个主要目标是对整个馆藏的标本进行物理重组和重新整理，并结合数据库平台迁移，以保护该馆藏的物理和数字内容，促进增长，并广泛提高为国内和国际鱼类学研究界以及不断增长的非传统标本数据用户（例如，K-12教育工作者，艺术家）服务的能力。目标还包括对本科生和德州博物学家硕士志愿者进行自然历史标本管理和管理方面的培训，新颖的本科生课程作业和以K-12科学为基础的艺术研讨会，重点是脊椎动物自然历史和鱼类学，以及开发一个临时公共展览，展示这所大学收藏的稀有标本。该项目将包括安装新的架子和金属罐，以促进得克萨斯农工大学鱼类收藏中现有酒精标本的批发重组和重新管理，并为未来的增长创造充足的空间。一个全球独一无二的超大（10 - 14英尺）鲨鱼标本收藏将通过容器更新得到保护，特别是用行业标准的密封金属单元取代一个40年的定制橡木棺材。最后，数据管理平台的升级将改善基本的数字数据管理，并通过在线国际档案（包括通过iDigBio.org和VertNet.org）增强标本记录的实时可用性。这些任务的完成将为德克萨斯农工大学和全球范围内的基础鱼类学教育、独特研究和发现提供新的基础设施。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Natural history collections document life on earth, past and present, and represent an invaluable and irreplaceable resource for the study of biodiversity. Proper and long-term management of natural history collections, including both physical specimens and their associated data, is crucial for scientific research by contemporary and future researchers. The Collection of Fishes at Texas A&M University is a substantial university-based ichthyology collection that has experienced rapid growth over the last 20 years. This collection serves a dual research and teaching role on the Texas A&M campus and more regionally, acting as both reference collection and specimen repository for researchers at other universities in Texas and other southern US states. A major goal of this project is a collection-wide physical re-organization and re-curation of specimens, coupled with a database platform migration that will safeguard the physical and digital content of this collection, facilitate growth, and broadly improve capacity to serve the national and international ichthyological research community as well as a growing community of non-traditional users of specimen data (e.g., K-12 educators, artists). Goals also include training of undergraduate students and Texas Master Naturalist volunteers in natural history specimen curation and management, novel undergraduate student course assignments and K-12 science-based art workshops focused on vertebrate natural history and ichthyology, and development of a temporary public exhibit showcasing the rare specimens from this university-based collection. The project will involve installation of new shelving and metal tanks to facilitate wholesale reorganization and re-curation of current alcohol specimens in the Collection of Fishes at Texas A&M University and to generate ample space for future growth. A globally unique collection of oversized (10–14ft) shark specimens will be secured through container updates, specifically the replacement of a 40 year old custom-made oak casket with an industry standard air-tight metal unit. Finally, data management platform upgrades will improve basic digital data management and enhance real time availability of specimen records via online international archives, including through iDigBio.org and VertNet.org. Completion of these tasks will rejuvenate infrastructure available for fundamental ichthyological education, unique research, and discovery at Texas A&M University and globally.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.