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Small Collections Grant

This page is used to provide assessment scores for each  grant application assigned to you. Please use the rubric below the grant details to enter your assessment scores and any notes you wish to include.
Please note that all scores entered must be whole numbers (no decimals), or you will be unable to save this form.

Digitization of the small collection of native algae of Southern Ontario and the Niagara Region.

azavaleta@brocku.ca

Canada

Database, Digitally image, Conserve, Other

Cost (USD): 

2992

BMC

Brock University

Objective:

(1) To digitize a small collection of native algae of Southern Ontario and the Niagara Region, providing micrographs of cellular ultra-structure and molecular data.
(2) To make available our strains world-wide strains by linking our database with an online strain request system.

Timetable:

Early 05/2026 — Student recruitment and onboarding. Hiring of the part‑time student responsible for digitization, followed by initial orientation to project goals and existing metadata.
05/2026 — Acquisition of digital services. Activation of required web services and software tools, including Base44 (or equivalent database/dashboard platform) and WordPress for the public‑facing site.
05 -06 2026 — The student will receive guided training on the database platform, website management tools, and data‑handling workflows to ensure consistent, high‑quality digitization.
05/2026 — Database design and structure. Development of the database architecture in Base44, including metadata fields, controlled vocabularies, and standardized templates for strain information, images, and sequence data.
05 - 10/2026 — Systematic digitization and upload of all materials (strain photos, growth data, molecular sequences, provenance information). Records will be checked for consistency, completeness, and alignment with community standards.
10 - 11/2026— Integration and deployment.Coordination with Brock University IT Services to integrate database with the institutional domain and website.

Scoring Rubric

Reviewer's name:

Collection Improvement (max. 120 points)

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  • Facilitating access to the physical collections by digitization (e.g., data entry, setting up database structure with an outline of the platform to be used, purchasing equipment, and imaging specimens) – up to 30 points.

  • Enhancing physical collections by improving the conservation status of specimens in the herbarium (e.g., better folders, protecting covers, mounting paper, labeling, etc.) – up to 30 points.

  • Curating specimens (e.g., updating families, species identification, identifying types) – up to 20 points.

  • Increasing our understanding of the flora or funga by making new herbarium specimens available, such as processing of backlog or collecting and mounting of new specimens from understudied sites – up to 20 points.

  • Securing collections by distribution of duplicates (or orphan collections) to other regional or international herbaria or shipping endangered collections to another herbarium – up to 20 points.

This proposal scores:

/120

Methods & Funding (max. 40 points)

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  • Match between the proposed budget and methods for the aims described – up to 10 points.

  • Perceived need, the extent to which the project will benefit from IAPT funding: e.g., due to active floristic work or contribution to poorly collected sites, due to threatened conditions of collections, and for the degree of involvement of others (outreach and education). We give more points for herbaria in low- and middle-income countries – up to 20 points.

  • Sharing duplicate specimens with other herbaria – up to 10 points.

This proposal scores:

/40

Broader Impacts (max. 40 points)

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  • Degree of regional importance of the collection or the taxonomic importance of the targeted collection – up to 10 points.

  • The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites) – up to 15 points.

  • The project involves outreach/mentoring and broad dissemination – up to 15 points.

This proposal scores:

/40

0

Year of last successful SCG application:

Has applicant applied for SCG before?:

No

Plan:

The requested support will complete the digitization and long‑term preservation of our algal germplasm collection by funding a part‑time student for two and a half months and covering essential digital services. Most biological and metadata information has already been gathered; what remains is the structured digitization, database construction, and deployment of an accessible online platform. The stipend will ensure dedicated student personnel time to finalize data entry, standardize records, and prepare the collection for public release. The remaining funds will secure hosting, domain registration, and key software tools, including a dedicated server to link databases and a database/dashboard platform for long‑term maintenance. Additional storage through established academic repositories (OSF, FRDR) will guarantee durable preservation.

Making these strains openly available is critical for taxonomic stability, reproducibility, and conservation, especially given the limited digitization of Canadian algal biodiversity. Our collection will provide detailed metadata beyond species names, addressing gaps in global algal databases and enabling environmental monitoring, innovation, and global access. IAPT support will consolidate two and a half years of foundational work and establish the basis for a future Canadian living collection.

Institution:

IH Code:

Country:

Target areas:

Applicant First Name/s:

email:

Make living specimens of the collection worldwide

"Other" target:

ALONSO

(Zavafer) Zavaleta

Applicant Last Name/s:

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