Small Collections Grant

Since the scientific value of these collections is inestimable, their digitization is of paramount importance. The last two years TAU has launched an effort to enhance the management of the collections by adopting the Specify 6 software. Furthermore, the necessary photographic, hardware, and software equipment has been installed. The main objectives are: (i) the cataloging of all the specimens including their label information, as well as their geo-referencing and photographing (ii) to format all data according to biodiversity informatics standards (Darwin Core), in order to make them publicly accessible and interoperable. The main problem of the TAU Herbarium is the lack of human resources i.e. the lack of trained personnel with full and exclusive employment to accomplish the above objectives. We intend to use the funding requested, to employ one already trained postgraduate collaborator to complete the digitization of the historical collections, as well as to procure a second PC to speed up the specimens cataloging. The employee will be supervised and guided by three professors during the course of this work.