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

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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.