1. Richard Lane, Chair Natural History Museum, London Scientific Collections International (SciColl) An international coordinating mechanism OECD GSF Vienna April 2010

2. Photo National Ice Core Labratory, USGS Photo J. Hicks, U.S. Geological Survey Millenium seed bank Kew Herbarium, NHM London Marine Zoology, NHM London

3. Scientific Collections – key points Selected & Structured samples of the world around us Vouchers / samples : repeatable, verifiable can be re-examined with new tools (cf observations) Source of new knowledge and ideas Can be arrayed, distributed infrastructure

4. SciColl: International Coordinating Mechanism Two main benefits Ensure collections are efficient and integrated infrastructures

5. SciColl: International Coordinating Mechanism Two main benefits Ensure collections are efficient and integrated infrastructures Enable more science to be done, especially interdisciplinary research

6. SciColl: International Coordinating Mechanism Two 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

7. Scientific Collections International SciColl - update Outreach to scientific disciplines and countries Developing Governance and sustainability

8. Workshop: International Coordination of an interdisciplinary global research Infrastructure 8-9 Feb 2010 at Royal Belgian Institute for the Natural Sciences, Brussels. 85 researchers and institutional reps from 36 countries Funded: European Science Foundation, US National Science Foundation, Belgian Science policy Office Earth sciences, archaeology, biomedical sciences, biodiversity sciences, anthropology

9. Workshop: International Coordination of an interdisciplinary global research Infrastructure Research using collections: Climate, environment and ecosystem change from palaeo proxy collections Changing human disease patterns Climate and human induced extinctions Use of natural history collections for climate change research

10. Workshop: International Coordination of an interdisciplinary global research Infrastructure Managing collections: Global Biological Resource Centre network – laboratory-based living organisms Korean National Research Resource centre European network of natural science collections (Synthesys)

11. Workshop: International Coordination of an interdisciplinary global research Infrastructure Outcomes: Strong support for SciColl concept SciColl aligns with other infrastructure initiatives (eg. Mapping European Research Infrastructure Landscape) and data coordination (GEO, GBIF)

12. Workshop: International Coordination of an interdisciplinary global research Infrastructure Outcomes: Strong support for SciColl concept SciColl aligns with other infrastructure initiatives and data coordination Added value of SciColl is connecting different research fields and thereby increasing access –Use ontologies of target topics –“ Yellow pages ” as finding tool

13. Workshop: International Coordination of an interdisciplinary global research Infrastructure Outcomes: Strong support for SciColl concept SciColl aligns with other infrastructure initiatives and data coordination Added value of SciColl is connecting different research fields and thereby increasing access Two or three pilot topics not just one – eg. environmental change and emerging disease

14. Developing Governance and sustainability Revised terms of reference based on comments at last GSF meeting and Brussels workshop Financial contributions - revised

15. Cate gory GERD (latest available figs) Countries (examples)Expected contribution (€ p.a.) 1> $50 billionUSA, Japan, Germany, China 90 k€ 2$18-50 billionCanada, France, Italy, Korea, Russia, UK 40 k€ 3$7.5-18 billion Australia, Austria, Israel, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland 20 k€ 4< $7.5 billionBelgium, Finland, Singapore, South Africa, Portugal, Norway, Poland 10 k€

16. CategoryOperational budget, including staff [US$] Staff number on collections [additional indicator] Institutions (examples) Expected Contribution € (p.a.) Large -1>$5 million>150NHM, SI, MNHN, IODP 16k Medium - 2$1 million - $5 million 50-150MfN Berlin, Naturalis, NICL 8k Medium- small - 3 $200k - $1 million 10-50INBIO, NMK, University of New Mexico 4k Small - 4<$200k<10Linnean Society London, 2k For consortia, the annual financial contribution will be determined in agreement with the Executive Board

17. Developing Governance and sustainability Revised terms of reference based on comments at last GSF meeting and Brussels workshop Financial contributions – revised Secretariat and activities budget remains as before

18. Workplan Deliverables: 1.A community network of scientific collections 2.Improved quality of collections care Improving collections management Increased digital access to collections 3.Increased access and usability of collections 4.Catalysed new interdisciplinary research Two or three pilot topics

19. Timeline and Milestones Phase 1 - exploration Feb 2006-Oct 2008 Phase 2 – organisational planning and community consultation Oct 2008 – April 2010 Phase 3 - Membership development April – November 2010 May 2010: invitation to submit letters of intent to join SciColl August/ Sept 2010: when sufficient commitment establish Interim Executive Board August/ Sept 2010: launch of request for proposals to host SciColl Secretariat November 2010: Selection of Secretariat Host [Sept/ Oct steering committee and workshop in Australia] Phase 4 – Organisational launch Nov. 2010: Advertisement for post of SciColl Executive Director Early 2011: official launch of SciColl (establishment of Secretariat)

20. Questions?