Abstract Detail

Teaching

Harris, Kari Megan [1], Marsico, Travis D. [2].

Involving undergraduates in the digital community: Leveraging collections preservation, research, and outreach through a network of natural history collections clubs.

In February 2013, nine students at Arkansas State University (A-State) came together to form the Natural History Collections Curation Club (NHC3). This club was an innovative approach to resolving many issues facing the natural history collections at A-State. The students of the club made it their goal to restore the collections by dedicating their time and helping to secure funding. These efforts have resulted in funding from the Dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics for a part-time student worker in the collections, supplies for several projects including jars and ethanol for restoring the fish collections and materials to create two large specimen mounts, and trips to visit several natural history museums. This concept has also helped other universities increase student interest and involvement in collections. To date, three other universities have active natural history collections clubs as a result of the A-State model. Beginning in the fall of 2015 these four clubs have formed a network to outreach to other universities that may benefit from this model. Our goal is to use the Natural History Collections Club Network (NHCCN) as a platform to motivate students across the globe to become interested and involved in university specimen collections.

1 - Arkansas State University, PO Box 599, State University, AR, 72467, United States
2 - Arkansas State University, Department Of Biological Sciences, PO Box 599, State University, AR, 72467, USA

Keywords:
Natural history
Club
Student Organization.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 33, Teaching Section Papers Session II
Location: 101/Savannah International Trade and Convention Center
Date: Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
Time: 3:00 PM
Number: 33004
Abstract ID:679
Candidate for Awards:Emanuel D. Rudolph Award