Support for an International Workshop on Scientific Collections held in Brussels

Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Scientific Collections International is an organization devoted to the international and interdisciplinary coordination of object based scientific collections, and to increasing the scientific and societal impact of scientific collections. The organizational design and development is being guided by an international Steering Committee as an initiative of the Global Science Forum. As part of the planning and development process leading to the official launch of Scientific Collections International at the end of 2010, the Steering Committee is organizing an international workshop at the Belgian Royal Institute of Natural Sciences for 8 and 9 February 2010. The workshop will bring together representatives of collections based organizations and the users of collections in varied disciplines, including but not limited to biomedicine, earth and planetary sciences, biodiversity, physical anthropology, ethnology, and archaeology. The National Science Foundation is providing funds for a contingent of two US speakers, five US participants from a range of disciplines that rely on scientific collections, and six delegates from developing countries. This award is being co-funded by the Biological Research Collections Program, the Office of International Science and Engineering, and the Office of Cyberinfrastructure.