Arquivos de periódicos de maio 2021

18 de maio de 2021

Texas Lettered Naturalists

The Sam Houston State University Natural History Collections in Huntsville, Texas is a research facility managing the scientific collections of the University. We are preparing to make nominations for our volunteer Research Associate Program. Our working title is "Texas Lettered Naturalists". Currently, there are multiple venues for people who are interested in natural history. Facebook has multitudes of interest groups. iNaturalist allows participants to contribute locality records of their observations. The Texas Master Naturalists program provides cursory introductions to diverse fields while performing service projects. But if your brand of enthusiasm is more focused; your long term goal is to progress beyond the hobbyist and actually grow into an authority, then we are here to help. In times past a lettered individual was educated, well read, academic. But most nature enthusiasts do not have the wherewithal to pursue a degree, or a certificate. However, all museums have volunteer opportunities. And museum staff are free to write letters of reference expounding on the qualities and skills of the individual. So if you participate as a volunteer at your own pace and demonstrate a resume of skills or knowledge then these qualities can be memorialized to you in the form of a letter of reference from a curator. A letter of reference is a valuable credential. And many amateurs do progress to the stage of publishing noteworthy scientific contributions. We have a record of assisting novices in the progression from collector to scientist. The criterion is publication.

Normally research associates are visiting scholars, but for the first time, we are happy to announce that we will reserve two of these spots for talented amateur insect collectors. We are doing this to build local capacity of insect specialists. An astonishing amount of the raw discovery that is done in field entomology is accomplished by amateurs. Our museum currently has a diverse community of natural historians who are experts in their particular group, yet earn their living in non-science fields; engineers, business, corrections, nursing, welding. Basically, there are lots of people studying natural history who are not scientists or professors. Now through venues like Facebook groups we can see that there is a large group of people who are interested and capable yet lack a portal of entry into the museum world. "Texas Lettered Naturalists" aims to become a vehicle conveying a small number of people from novice to expert. ​

The museum currently has insect survey projects going on in four large military bases and in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, at Rush Creek near the Canyonlands Unit of the Big Thicket and at several other private locations. We have rich opportunities to participate in entomology from fieldwork to curating to data management. We have a backlog of millions of specimens that you can tap into.

Associates will be museum volunteers. They should reside within a comfortable distance enabling weekly visits to the museum. You may be provided with bench/working space in the museum, use of our microscopes, imaging equipment, archives, collection of over one million specimens, library of technical literature for identification. You may be assigned cabinets and drawers for the storage and care of your own personal collections. You will be encouraged to develop your own personal collections. You will be invited to participate in collecting at remote, private localities with unusual habitat. You will receive instruction in the use of maps and databases that aid the location of unusual habitats. You will build personal relationships with professional entomologists of all types who pass through the museum on a regular basis. You will build your personal professional contacts and enjoy fellowship with people based on common interests. The study of natural history will cut across all lines of class, income, race, religion, etcetera. These human constructs will be meaningless within a group pf people who are solely interested in the six-legged productions of the natural world. You will be instructed in the art of operating diverse field collecting equipment such as malaise, flight intercept, pitfall, lindgren funel, etc. You will be instructed in proper labeling and data capture. You will have the opportunity to suggest specimens for DNA sequencing. You will be instructed in proper curation techniques. You will be encouraged to identify an entomological project that can result in novel discoveries that are sufficiently noteworthy to warrant publication in an entomological journal. Publication of entomological discoveries is a priority goal and it is the practice of the museum to be liberal with the allocation of co-authorship to those who have made intellectual contribution to a study. Upon achieving proficiency in entomological techniques and practices, you will be provided with a letter of recommendation from the Curator of the Museum stating that you have served as a volunteer and become proficient in the listed techniques. If you have ever thought that you would like to gain entry into the world of the entomological museum then this is your chance. Only two positions are available.

Submit a letter of interest to Dr. William Godwin, Curator Sam Houston State Natural History Collections WBG004@shsu.edu.

Posted on 18 de maio de 2021, 03:39 PM by rjnjr rjnjr | 0 comentários | Deixar um comentário

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