Improvements to the Botanical and Entomological Collections at the Towson University Biodiversity Center

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。Towson大学(TU)两个最大和最古老的自然历史收藏是植物学和昆虫学收藏。这些收藏是独一无二的，因为它们代表了早在1864年就开始的大西洋中部地区标本的广泛汇编。这些收集很重要，因为它们被用来评估物种的现在和历史范围，特别是在城市化和全球气候变化的背景下。它们被本科生和研究生广泛使用。藏品的保存将使TU成为一个学生仍然可以接受培训的地方，使他们对生物生物学有扎实的了解。从这个项目中获得资金将使空间得到更好的利用，并为保存标本购买新的橱柜。建立影像和数据库基础还将增加通过指定网站向更广泛的用户提供藏品的机会。TU的学生将接受标本保存、数据库管理和自然历史数据解释方面的培训。此外，马里兰州，更具体地说，巴尔的摩大都市区的大量K-12学生将受到与哈克曼学院和樱桃山项目开展的各种外联方案的影响

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The two largest and oldest natural history collections at Towson University (TU) are the botanical and entomological collections. These collections are unique as they represent an extensive compilation of specimens from the mid-Atlantic region beginning as early as 1864. These collections are important as they are used in assessing both the present and historical ranges of species, especially in light of urbanization and global climate change. They are widely used by both undergraduate and graduate students. Preservation of the collections will allow TU to distinguish itself as a place where students can still receive training that grounds them in a solid understanding of organismal biology.Funding from this project will allow for better space utilization and the purchase of new cabinets for specimen preservation. Imaging and data basing will also increase the accessibility of the collections to a broader range of users through a designated website. Students at TU will be trained in specimen preservation, database management and the interpretation of natural history data. In addition, large numbers of K-12 students in Maryland and, more specifically, the Baltimore metropolitan area, will be impacted through the various outreach programs undertaken with the Hackerman Academy and the Cherry Hill Project