T105 Fossil Specimens 0's and 1'??s: Databases, Standards, & Mobilization

Monday, 26 September 2016
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Mile High Ballroom 4C

THE COMPLEXITIES OF FOSSIL DATA ADVANCES: AN APPROACH BY THE SMITHSONIAN NMNH DEPARTMENT OF PALEOBIOLOGY

Paper number: T105-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:15 AM – 8:30 AM

Authors

  • Holly Little Presenting Author
    Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
  • Amanda Millhouse
    Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC

Abstract

The advancement of fossil specimen data as it relates to databases and standards, and pushes for more mobilization presents many challenges. How do paleontologists and collections professionals meet these challenges? How do we engage with natural history data programs (e.g. iDigBio and GBIF)? How do we implement data initiatives and strategies (e.g. Darwin Core)? The solution to these questions can easily become overly complex. In the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Department of Paleobiology we have established guidelines for focusing our approach in order to minimize the possible complexities. Our approach has included efforts to evaluate our collections database (EMu), build digitization workflows, and assess data management practices. While maintaining the guidelines we have established, we have also considered the growth of the global collections community, looking at what standards exist or are lacking, how data are structured, and what the data needs are in the biodiversity informatics field. In this discussion we will share our approach and guidelines and hope to invite collaboration for further research and evaluation with our peers.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 48, No. 7

doi: 10.1130/abs/2016AM-286496

© Copyright 2016 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.