Securing and sharing invertebrate collections at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History through critical storage upgrades and digitization

An award is made to the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History for a collections curation and access initiative to preserve, digitize, and increase research capacity for more than 140,000 invertebrate specimens. These collections span over 150 years of biodiversity records from Iowa, the Midwest, and beyond, and provide essential data for comparative analysis on environmental change, land use, and species distribution. A centerpiece of the project is the integration of the Iowa Insect Survey collection—approximately 50,000 specimens collected from all 99 Iowa counties between the 1920s and 1960s—rescued from the former Iowa Wesleyan University. To secure these irreplaceable and viable research specimens, the project will consolidate specimens and replace hazardous wooden cabinets and failing drawers with modern, sealed steel cabinetry mounted on compactor carriages in an environmentally controlled facility. During the rehousing process, specimens will be cataloged, photographed, and made digitally accessible through biodiversity data portals. The project will provide paid internships and hands-on training for undergraduate students. Other broader public impacts include the development of a new educational exhibition and outreach programming focused on the ecological roles of insects in Iowa, engaging visitors of all ages. This effort secures and activates one of the Midwest’s most comprehensive historical invertebrate collections for ongoing and future research. By addressing serious storage hazards and consolidating materials in a centralized location, the project supports studies on invasive species, habitat and climate impacts, water quality, and regional biodiversity trends. Digitization of specimen records and images will support both local and international scientific access, while new storage infrastructure will allow for the sustainable growth of the collections as a state repository. The project strengthens biodiversity literacy, provides applied training in museum careers, and preserves Iowa’s natural heritage for scientific and public benefit. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.