Building on the past, for the future: research laboratories for the Paleontological Research Institution

Paleontological Research Institute, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The award will support renovation of four research spaces at the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) to create a set of modern, functional, adaptable, and safe shared laboratories conducive to the type of research supported by PRI's collections, library, and other research resources. The renovations will position PRI to leverage its collections, research, and outreach strengths in 21st Century paleobiology, by building basic infrastructure to support current research and allow PRI to sustain and advance its level of cutting-edge, fundable research into the future. Laboratories to be renovated include: BioLab which will be the PRI 'clean lab' for microscope work (including dissection, microfossil processing, sorting bulk samples, etc.); WetLab (= Aquarium Lab) which will be the PRI 'live room' for the maintenance of living aquatic invertebrates (no vertebrates, aquatic or terrestrial, will be maintained under the present configuration); PaleoLab which will be the PRI 'dirty lab' for processing field collections and rough specimen preparation; and PrepLab which will be dedicated to fine specimen preparation, using rotary tools and air abrasion (mini-sand blasting), and for specimen molding and casting. This lab also serves as a museum exhibition, in that all research activities that occur here are in full view of the visiting public through three large windows into the Museum gallery. Nearly all research at PRI has outreach components built into it. PRI has an outstanding and ambitious outreach program that makes extensive use of its specimen collections to help K-12, public, and college audiences better understand the nature of the historical sciences. The laboratory renovations will allow PRI to greatly improve and expand upon existing programs that reach the public, school groups, teachers, and others. The renovations will facilitate bringing Museum visitors 'into the lab' through interactive specimen preparation. PRI will also document laboratory activities with on-going research using in-house technology such as videography to document lab activities, for use in public exhibits, teacher professional development resources, and online virtual exhibits.