Natural history collections contain billions of specimens, documenting life on Earth over hundreds and millions of years. Thanks to global digitization efforts, many specimens and associated data are now discoverable online and freely downloadable. Ready accessibility to this tremendous resource means that in order for researchers, educators, and policy makers to work with collections data, they must be familiar with the invaluable specimens themselves as well as the images, transcriptions, georeferences, annotations, three-dimensional scans and other digital information that accompanies specimens. Researchers must also be familiar with analysis techniques and ways that natural history collections data can be combined with emerging ecological resources, e.g., NEON, USGS, USANPN to fully address timely questions and engage students in authentic, data-based educational inquiries.
Results/Conclusions
BLUE (Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Education; biodiversityliteracy.com) is a recently funded NSF Research Coordination Network in Undergraduate Biology. Through BLUE, we aim identify core data literacy skills and develop associated educational materials that prepare the next generation of scientists to work with emerging data resources. Natural history collections provide a unique opportunity for student to learn the iterative process of science, data literacy, critical thinking, quantitative biology, communication in the sciences, and biodiversity informatics. These skills can be integrated within the context of exploring topics including climate change, disease spread, conservation biology, paleobiology, interspecific interactions and associations, and invasive species. The place-based capacity of collections data combined with the social and societal relevance of biodiversity can also serve a role in creating inclusive, culturally relevant and socially conscious educational materials that engage a broad audience in biodiversity science.
BLUE brings together experts in biodiversity science, data research, and science education to create resources and develop effective strategies for biodiversity and data literacy education. Here, we present examples of activities developed by BLUE, and BLUE partners, that highlight the use of natural history collections data in undergraduate courses. We will also discuss ways one can join and contribute to the BLUE network, participate in BLUE activities, and share and disseminate resources through the growing BLUE network.