Richard Lane, Natural History Museum, London

Science Collections International

An international coordinating mechanism

OECD Global Science Forum, April 2009, Paris

Photo National Ice Core Labratory, USGS

Photo J. Hicks, U.S. Geological Survey

Millenium seed bank Kew

Herbarium, NHM London

Marine Zoology, NHM London

Scientific Collections – key points

• Selected & Structured samples of the world

• Vouchers / samples : • repeatable, verifiable

• can be re-examined with new tools (cf observations)

• Reference system of existing information

• Source of new knowledge and ideas

• Can be arrayed, distributed infrastructure

Collections are Part of our Scientific Infrastructure

Background GSF Scientific Collections initiative

• Proposal by Dutch delegation, GSF-14 (Feb 2006)

• First workshop Leiden June 2007

• Second workshop Washington DC, July 2008

Recommendations of the 2008 Washington workshop

• An international coordinating mechanism for scientific collections should be created

• GSF should authorise follow-on activities leading to an implementation plan

• Specific proposal for planning activities

• GSF delegations should promote engagement with member countries and research communities and institutions

Background – GSF Scientific Collections initiative

• Proposal by Dutch delegation, GSF-14 (Feb 2006)

• First workshop Leiden June 2007

• Second workshop Washington DC, July 2008

• Approval GSF Oct 2008

– Planning for 18 months, governance, sustainability

– Expand disciplinary and international participation

• Steering committee – London meeting March 2009

Steering Committee meeting

• 19-20 March 2009, Natural History Museum UK– 18 participants from 11 countries– GSF, ICSU, ESF

• Working groups for

– Strategic planning and programme of work– Outreach to scientific disciplines and

countries– Governance and business planning– Funding and launch

• Agreed name Scientific Collections International

International Coordinating Mechanism

Two main benefits

• Ensure collections are efficient and integrated infrastructures

International Coordinating Mechanism

Two main benefits

• Ensure collections are efficient and integrated infrastructures

– Best practice for access, management

– Value for money

– Connectivity

International Coordinating Mechanism

Two main benefits

• Ensure collections are efficient and integrated infrastructures

• Enable more science to be done, especially interdisciplinary research

biodiversity anthropology/ archaeology

earth sciences biomedicine

coordinated collections & integrated research programs

virtual network of collections with interoperable information resources

cross-disciplinary research team

cross-disciplinary research team

cross-disciplinary research team

Collection Collection Collection Collection

Examples of interdisciplinary research programs using collections

• impact of global climate change in specific ecosystems (e.g., shallow seas / deserts / mountains)

• patterns of human migration

• changes in biodiversity, extinctions

• historical epidemiology, especially infectious diseases

• development of forensic tools

• movement of anthropogenic materials in the environment

• geological dynamics

International Coordinating MechanismTwo main benefits

• Ensure collections are efficient and integrated infrastructures

• Enable more science to be done, especially interdisciplinary research

This will lead to the sustainabilty and development of collections

Timeline and Milestones

• July 2009: – draft strategic plan– draft governance/business plan– outreach brochure

• Sept. 2009 Steering committee Berlin (suggestions needed)

• Sept/Oct 2009: interdisciplinary research workshop

• Jan 2010: research conference: collections and users

– Extends scientific scope, widens participation

– Partners

• Apr 2010: final report to GSF

• Jan 2011: SCIcoll launch event

October 2009 GSF meeting

• Governance Model for consideration

• Draft strategic / business plan

• Progress on scientific conference (topics, partners)

• Expressions of interest to host secretariat

Questions?