NSF Org:	DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure
Recipient:	PALEONTOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTION
Initial Amendment Date:	September 22, 2009
Latest Amendment Date:	September 22, 2009
Award Number:	0847118
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Anne Maglia DBI  Division of Biological Infrastructure BIO  Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	September 15, 2009
End Date:	August 31, 2011 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$497,100.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$497,100.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2009 = $497,100.00
ARRA Amount:	$497,100.00
History of Investigator:	Gregory Dietl (Principal Investigator) Warren Allmon (Co-Principal Investigator) Judith Nagel-Myers (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	Paleontological Research Institute 1259 TRUMANSBURG RD ITHACA NY  US  14850-1313 (607)273-6623
Sponsor Congressional District:	19
Primary Place of Performance:	Paleontological Research Institute 1259 TRUMANSBURG RD ITHACA NY  US  14850-1313
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	19
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	N9MQEQFXK6C5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s):	HUMAN RESOURCES
Primary Program Source:	01R00910DB RRA RECOVERY ACT
Program Reference Code(s):	6895, 1197, BIOT, 9184, 6890
Program Element Code(s):	722600
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.074

ABSTRACT

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

The collection of the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) includes two to three million specimens and is among the ten largest and most scientifically important fossil collections in the United States. However, the backbone of the collection, its non-type systematic mollusk collection (estimated at about 1.5 million specimens), is not yet fully at a minimally acceptable condition for a resource of its importance and value. Between 25 and 30% of the systematic mollusk holdings remain in unfavorable storage conditions that are potentially hazardous for the specimens. This proposal seeks support for the reorganization, curation, and beginning computerization of PRI's non-type systematic mollusk collection, which will facilitate its long-term use by the scientific community. Results will be made available on PRI's website at www.pricollectionsdatabase.org. This reorganization is also highly likely to have significant impact in the short term on a currently active research area in paleontology and conservation paleobiology which applies geo-historical data to present-day problems related to human-induced environmental change.

PRI is a national leader in Earth science educational programming, and specimens from the mollusk collection will be used to inform and support various educational outreach programs. In particular, the activity described in this proposal will support the establishment of a teacher professional development program to support secondary school science teachers in using hands-on, inquiry-based teaching. The key concept will be that research collections are critical to testing hypotheses about biological evolution and the history of Earth systems.

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