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，是生物多样性研究的宝贵和不可替代的资源。自然历史收藏品的适当和长期管理，包括物理标本及其相关数据，对于当代和未来的研究人员进行科学研究至关重要。德克萨斯A M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20年中经历了快速增长。这个集合服务于德克萨斯州A M校园和更多区域的双重研究和教学作用，作为德克萨斯州和美国南部其他州其他大学研究人员的参考集合和标本库。该项目的一个主要目标是对标本进行全面的物理重组和再管理，同时进行数据库平台迁移，以保护该标本的物理和数字内容，促进增长，并广泛提高服务于国家和国际鱼类学研究界以及标本数据的非传统用户（例如，K-12教育工作者，艺术家）。目标还包括培训本科生和德克萨斯州博物学家志愿者自然历史标本策展和管理，新颖的本科生课程作业和以科学为基础的K-12艺术研讨会，重点是脊椎动物自然历史和鱼类学，以及临时公共展览的发展，展示了这所大学收藏的稀有标本。 该项目将涉及安装新的架子和金属罐，以促进德克萨斯州A M大学鱼类收藏中现有酒精标本的批发重组和再加工，并为未来的增长创造充足的空间。 全球独一无二的超大（10- 14英尺）鲨鱼标本收藏将通过集装箱更新得到保护，特别是用行业标准的气密金属装置替换40年的定制橡木棺材。 最后，数据管理平台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www.example.com和VertNet.org）增强标本记录的真实的可用性iDigBio.org。完成这些任务将使德克萨斯A M大学和全球的基础鱼类学教育、独特研究和发现基础设施恢复活力&。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得支持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。

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.