Capacity: Biological Collections: Curatorial upgrade and digital uncovering of the hidden treasure of Delaware to safeguard, and increase access to, centuries of botanical legacy

几个世纪以来收集的科学标本及其相关数据代表了关于生物多样性的研究和知识。 然而，其中大多数仍然不容易获得或使用，从而阻碍了解决生物多样性问题的努力。尽管生物多样性数据很重要，但往往是以区域为重点的小型机构提供的数据无法获取。这样一个机构是克劳德E。特拉华州的菲利普斯植物标本馆，收藏了来自所有主要植物群的20多万个标本。这些标本是在德尔玛瓦半岛当地以及过去200年来在全国和全球范围内收集的，代表了研究和教育的宝贵资源。该项目将收集约130，000个植物标本，以帮助填补植物标本馆标本数字化的空白。所调动的数据在地理、分类和时间覆盖方面特别重要，并将提供基线信息，以评估生物多样性在空间和时间上的模式和趋势。同时，该项目还将培训下一代植物标本室工作人员，以帮助确保数百年的植物遗产得到保护，并继续提供长期利益。为了增加生物多样性数据的可访问性，该项目将制作约13万张高分辨率标本图像，以及一个转录标本元数据和地理参考地点的数据库，所有这些都将通过iDigBio（idigbio.org）和中大西洋草本植物联盟的共生菌门户网站（midatlanticherbaria.org）在线发布，供公众访问。在数字化进程的同时，并在数字化进程的帮助下，将进行一次策展升级，以实现克劳德E。菲利普斯植物标本馆，其最终目标是改善策展和客户服务，以及促进使用和收藏的可持续性。对特拉华州州立大学本科生的培训是该项目的一个组成部分，将扩大在STEM领域仍代表性不足的群体的参与，特别是自然历史。项目人员将参与数字化和策展的所有方面。与此同时，获得移动数据将使机构内外的进一步教育和研究机会。该项目还将通过研讨会、图尔斯、众包和其他外展活动吸引公众参与，为区域能力建设做出贡献。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Scientific specimens, collected over multiple centuries, and their associated data represent a body of research and knowledge about biodiversity. However most of them are still not readily accessible or readily usable; thus, hampering efforts to address biodiversity questions. It is often the biodiversity data from regionally focused small institutions that are inaccessible, despite their importance. Such an institution is the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium in Delaware, which houses over 200,000 specimens from all major plant groups. These specimens were collected locally on the Delmarva Peninsula as well as nationally and globally over the last 200 years, and represent valuable resources for research and education. This project will digitize about 130,000 plant specimens to help fill gaps in herbarium specimen digitization. The mobilized data are particularly significant in their geographic, taxonomic, and temporal coverage and will provide baseline information to assess patterns and trends in biodiversity across space and time. At the same time, the project will also train the next generation of the herbarium workforce to help ensure that centuries of botanical legacy will be cared for and will continue to provide long-term benefits.To increase accessibility of biodiversity data, the project will produce about 130,000 high resolution specimen images and a database of both transcribed specimen metadata and georeferenced localities, all of which will be released online for public access through iDigBio (idigbio.org) and the Consortium of Mid-Atlantic Herbaria's Symbiota portal (midatlanticherbaria.org). In parallel with, and aided by, the digitization process, a curatorial upgrade will be undertaken to modernize collections care and management at the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium, with the ultimate goals of improving curation and customer service as well as promoting usage and sustainability of the collections. Training of undergraduate students at Delaware State University is an integral part of the project and will expand participation of groups still underrepresented in STEM, particularly natural history. Project personnel will be involved in all aspects of digitization and curation. Meanwhile, access to the mobilized data will enable further educational and research opportunities both within and outside the institution. The project will also contribute to regional capacity building by engaging the public through workshops, tours, crowdsourcing, and other outreach events.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.