Increasing Efficiency of Space Utilization for the Triplehorn Insect Collection (OSUC)

Ohio State University Research Foundation -Do Not Use, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

An award has been made to the Ohio State University Research Foundation under the direction of Dr. Norman F. Johnson to purchase a new compactor system and make other improvements for curation of the entomology collection at Ohio State University. This collection of more than 3.5 million specimens contains material that has been the foundation of numerous scientific publications and books on insects from the region and worldwide. The new compactor system and archival drawers for storage of the specimens will help preserve them for future study by researchers, land resource managers, and students. The collection is near capacity and the planned upgrades will provide for significant growth. In addition to the physical improvements, an online catalog of type specimens used to assign scientific names to new species will also be compiled. This resource will be available to researchers worldwide and will be linked to specimen label data and scientific literature on the insect species. The collection is broadly used in education, by minority high school student interns and undergraduate and graduate students in research programs. Over one thousand visitors utilize the collection resources every year, and the new equipment and digital resources will enhance the value of the collection for science, education, and the public.