Replacement and Renovation of Collections Space at the Paleontological Research Institution

古生物学研究机构（PRI）是世界上唯一一家专门致力于古生物学科学的私人研究机构。它收藏了大量的无脊椎动物化石和近代软体动物，也是美国最大的化石标本收藏地之一。由于缺乏永久的管理和储存设施，这些藏品已经被允许恶化，并且多年来一直无法进入研究和教育界。为了巩固研究所、康奈尔大学和罗切斯特大学的藏品，PRI已经开始努力更换和扩大现有的设施。具体来说，来自学术研究基础设施项目的资金将使PRI能够取代目前用于容纳藏品的现有空间。这是近一个世纪以来的第一次，该项目将提供足够的空间来容纳和照顾藏品，并使它们可供研究使用。因此，合并后的收藏将是全国最大和最好的收藏之一，特别是在西半球的新生代和美国东北部的古生代。这两个领域都是当前环境和动物变化领域的研究热点。作为方圆250英里内最大的化石收藏地，合并后的收藏将有潜力成为地区和国家古生物学研究和教育中心。最重要的是，该项目将使以前无法接触到的研究人员、教育工作者和学生更容易接触到三种大型的、具有重要科学意义的无脊椎动物化石和近代软体动物化石，从而对未来的研究项目和全国范围内的古生物学研究产生直接影响。

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) is the world's only private research organization dedicated solely to the science of paleontology. It houses major collections of invertebrate fossils and Recent mollusks and one of the nation's largest collections of type and figured fossil specimens. Due to the lack of permanent curation and storage facilities, the collections have been allowed to deteriorate, and have been inaccessible to the research and educational communities for many years. PRI has embarked upon an effort to replace and expand current facilities in order to consolidate collections of the Institution, Cornell University, and the University of Rochester. Specifically, funds from the Academic Research Infrastructure Program will enable PRI to replace existing space that is in poor condition presently used to house the collections. For the first time in almost a century, this project will provide the needed space to adequately house and care for collections, and make them available for research use. As a result, the combined collection would be one of the largest and finest in the nation, with particular strengths in the Cenozoic of the Western Hemisphere and Paleozoic of the Northeastern US. These are both areas of considerable current research interest in the areas of environmental and faunal change. As the largest fossil collection within a 250 mile radius, the combined collection would have the potential to serve as a regional and national center for paleobiological research and education. Most importantly, this project will improve accessibility of three large and scientifically important collections of fossil invertebrate and Recent mollusks to researchers, educators, and students who have previously not had access to them, thus having a direct effect on future research programs, and paleontological research on a national scale.