What’s in a Name? Species, Naming, and the Scientific Process

November 1st, 2014 - October 31st, 2016 | PROJECT

The Harvard Museums of Science and Culture, in partnership with the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) and the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), will develop detailed biological species "stories" that show how the scientific name attached to a species is the product of meticulous study and the progression of knowledge over time. These stories will form the basis for exhibit stations in the museum galleries, digital collections on the EOL website, and an e-book that combines the online content into narrative form. These resources will promote public understanding of Earth's biodiversity, the importance of museum and library collections in its study, and give people tools to further their own investigations through freely available web resources. The project will serve as a model for content delivery that other institutions can adapt for their own collections.

Project Website(s)

(no project website provided)

Project Products

http://whatsinaname.hmnh.harvard.edu
What's in a Name on Encyclopedia of Life
Front-End, Formative and Summative Evaluations of What’s in a Name?

Team Members

Jane Pickering, Principal Investigator, Harvard University

Funders

Funding Source: IMLS
Funding Program: Museums for America
Award Number: MA-10-14-0113-14
Funding Amount: $149,988

Tags

Audience: General Public | Museum | ISE Professionals
Discipline: Ecology | forestry | agriculture | Life science
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Exhibitions | Museum and Science Center Exhibits