Become a scientist for the day at Museum’s CitSciScribe event, June 11
For immediate release ‐ June 06, 2016
Contact: Jon Pishney, 919.707.8083. Images available upon request
RALEIGH — Want to become a scientist for the day? Researchers at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences invite you to come learn about, and take part in, the importance of transcription in the study of natural science specimens. On Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can get a rare glimpse back in time as you help transform handwritten records of historical specimens, including ledgers and other data collected from field explorations that go back hundreds of years.
This event launches CitSciScribe, the Museum’s new online portal where you can help the Museum transcribe this historic data. These data can help to quickly and efficiently answer questions such as what’s living in the creek behind your house or school to seeing the entire holdings of a certain species and its distribution. While powerful, these data have been locked away in handwritten documents that need to be turned into a digital format so that they can be made available online.
At this event, staff will help you set up a CitSciScribe account and get you started transcribing data. Then as you help to make Museum data more accessible, your work will earn you badges. There will also be carts set up throughout the Nature Research Center so you can learn more about the fish, reptiles and amphibians of the Southeast that you may read about as you participate in CitSciScribe. Following the event, you can continue to help the Museum unlock these hidden treasures from the comfort of your own home, anywhere in the world, via citsciscribe.org. Join the Museum in this effort and help unleash the full potential of the Museum’s collections.
Background
Natural history museums, through the research collections that they maintain, have worked to document the biodiversity of our world for centuries. These collections are incomparable treasure troves filled with specimens as well as data collected from field explorations. Historically, these data have been kept in hand-written ledgers, catalog cards, log books, field notes and other records. Beyond specimen identification, these data may include: date and time specimens were collected, information about the site where they were collected, how they were collected (e.g., hand nets, seines, trawling), who collected them, how they were preserved, how they are maintained (e.g., fluid specimen, skeleton, mount), etc.
In the past few decades, natural history museums have sought to improve the utility of their collections by digitizing their data — creating databases from the raw data represented in written records. One more improvement was to make collections data available and searchable online. These online databases help to quickly and efficiently answer questions such as what’s living in the creek behind my house or school to seeing the entire holdings of a certain species and its distribution.
However, digitizing collections data is a labor-intensive process that requires staff and funding, both of which are in short supply at most natural history museums. Several museums have overcome this problem by enlisting the help of the public through the creation of citizen science transcription projects, such as CitSciScribe. By inviting everyone to participate in data digitization efforts the work is distributed across many people, but each individual can make a meaningful contribution toward moving a collection’s data from obscurity to the public realm so that anyone, researcher or curious non-scientist alike, can access this wealth of knowledge.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (11 W. Jones St. and 121 W. Jones St.) in downtown Raleigh is an active research institution that engages visitors of every age and stage of learning in the wonders of science and the natural world, drawing them into the intriguing fields of study that are critical to the future of North Carolina. Hours: Mon.- Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sun., noon-5 p.m. Visit the Museum online at www.naturalsciences.org. Emlyn Koster, PhD, Museum Director; Susan Kluttz, Secretary, N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; Pat McCrory, Governor.
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan Kluttz, NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development. NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.