An important activity of iDigBio is to deliver IT infrastructure and services for a highly coordinated biocollections digitization community.
Through the use of computer appliances, the community will interact with the iDigBio storage cloud and specimen database.
The iDigBio team seeks to team up with developers of tools to guide development, disseminate, and host virtual appliances that integrate such tools.
An important activity of iDigBio is to deliver IT infrastructure and services for a highly coordinated biocollections digitization community. Through the use of computer appliances, separate and discrete computing devices designed to provide a specific computing resource, the biocollections digitization community will interact with the iDigBio storage cloud and specimen database.
It is our pleasure to announce the Developing Robust Object to Image to Data Workflows (DROID) Workshop to be held at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. The workshop is designed to identify existing optimal digitization workflows, as well as process and technology gaps that must be bridged in order to achieve the scope of digitization required to meet the Grand Challenge. The workshop is co-sponsored by Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) and Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation (S2I2). It will be held on May 30th and May 31st. Additional details may be obtained from the workshop overview.
Up to five participant slots are available for applicants. Accepted participants will be provided with travel, lodging and meals to attend the workshop.
Streamlining Collaborative Digitization: How to order and install multiple digitization work stations
By Melissa Tulig and Kimberly Watson
Please join iDigBio in congratulating Dr. Anna Monfils on her selection as our 2012 Visiting Scholar. Anna is an Associate Professor at Central Michigan University and Director of the Central Michigan University Herbarium.
Dr. Monfils' winning proposal includes building generalized, web-deliverable specimen databasing protocols, designing web-based teaching activities focused on databasing, and organizing a workshop aimed at professional botanists, students and citizen scientists from throughout Michigan.
On 19 March, NSC Alliance submitted testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies. The testimony was in support of funding the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The testimony highlighted the contributions of NSF’s Biological Sciences Directorate (BIO) to science, education, and research infrastructure.
The ADBC Thematic Collections Network (TCN) InvertNet will be hosting a Spring Workshop.
This workshop will allow InvertNet collaborators to meet and discuss collection digitization techniques and strategies. A representative from each collaborating institution will give a brief overview of their collection, its history, strengths, and challenges. This will be followed by hands-on demonstrations of digitization equipment and workflows.
When: Saturday 14 April 2012, 8:00 AM - Sunday 15 April 2012, 12:00 PM
Where: University of Illinois Micro- and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Urbana
Dr. Larry Page is the Project Director for iDigBio, where he is responsible for overall project management, oversight of the national resource activities, and implementation of the strategic plan. He is based at the Florida Museum of Natural History, where he is Director of the University of Florida Biodiversity Institute and Curator of Fishes. Here, Dr. Page is interviewed by Jill Holliday, executive editor of the iDigBio e-newsletter.
It is our pleasure to announce the Specimen Digitization Tools and Practices Workshop at the Botany 2012 Conference. The workshop is designed to introduce current and future biological and paleontological specimen collections staff to resources and workflows that can lead to greater efficiencies in the digitization of their collections. The workshop is organized by iDigBio, the National Resource for Advancing Digitization of Biological Collections. It will be held from 8:00AM – 5:00PM on Thursday, July 12, the day after the conference at the conference facility. A dinner for workshop participants will follow.
Meet the iDigBio Staff: An Interview with Gil Nelson
3 February 2012
Gil Nelson is iDigBio’s digitization specialist, with a focus on developing and improving digitization workflows and providing digitization support for the Thematic Collections Network projects. He is based at Florida State University. Here, Gil Nelson is interviewed by Austin Mast, a collaborator with Nelson on prior projects and a member of iDigBio’s Steering Committee.
