Setting natural science data free: scoping a UK collections approach
Lead Research Organisation:
Natural History Museum
Department Name: Life Sciences
Abstract
We aim to liberate the analytic and predictive powers of centuries of natural science data, held in the UK's exceptional collections of some 150m objects, so that UK and global policy and investment decisions are based on the best possible evidence for sustainable success. To scope this critical work, an investment of £130,000 will pay for [two dedicated posts and associated travel and equipment], to work with, support and train collections across the UK in developing:
- A fuller understanding and dashboard of the UK's natural science collections holdings, and of digital capability across UK collections-holding institutions;
- A strong UK network and vision, shaping blueprints for a distributed centre of excellence and collections data portal;
- Approaches to building capability in digitisation and data mobilisation, developing training assets of lasting value for all types of collections and if possible applying training to one or more digitisation pilots releasing FAIR open data.
These priorities have been informed by discussion with 15 stakeholders representing collections-holding institutions and networks from across the nations and regions of the UK.
- A fuller understanding and dashboard of the UK's natural science collections holdings, and of digital capability across UK collections-holding institutions;
- A strong UK network and vision, shaping blueprints for a distributed centre of excellence and collections data portal;
- Approaches to building capability in digitisation and data mobilisation, developing training assets of lasting value for all types of collections and if possible applying training to one or more digitisation pilots releasing FAIR open data.
These priorities have been informed by discussion with 15 stakeholders representing collections-holding institutions and networks from across the nations and regions of the UK.
Organisations
- Natural History Museum (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW (Collaboration)
- Horniman Museum and Gardens (Collaboration)
- NATIONAL MUSEUMS SCOTLAND (Collaboration)
- Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery (Collaboration)
- National Museum Wales (Collaboration)
- National Museums Northern Ireland (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- British Geological Survey (Collaboration)
- Great North Museum (Collaboration)
- Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Collaboration)
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) (Collaboration)
Publications
Smith V
(2022)
DiSSCo UK: A new partnership to unlock the potential of 137 million UK-based specimens
in Biodiversity Information Science and Standards
| Description | The AHRC-supported DiSSCo UK initiative (https://www.dissco-uk.org/), aligned with the European Distributed System of Scientific Collections (https://www.dissco.eu/), has begun to map the aggregate holdings of UK natural science collections. Through work in 2021 and 2022, we have built up a comprehensive picture of UK collections (https://bit.ly/dissco-uk); built a network of institutions and a community with a shared vision to digitise their collections (https://www.dissco-uk.org/about); developed a blueprint for the digitisation of these collections (https://bit.ly/dissco-UK-blueprint); revealed a minimum of 2 billion in economic benefits unlocked by digitisation (https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.7.e78844); and explored models to train the UK network to develop the capacity to digitise collections. This includes providing training materials (https://dissco.github.io/), training pilots, and acquiring funds to purchase the capital equipment necessary to digitise at each of the four national collections throughout the UK. With our most recent tranche of funding, we have also constructed the first national Data Portal for natural science collections (https://data.dissco-uk.org/, aggregating some 11 million records and building a full, high-quality register of UK collections. |
| Exploitation Route | After two years of systematic and complex work by the UK Natural Science Collection Community, coordinated by the Natural History Museum London and supported by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, we are in the process of preparing a national infrastructure proposal that will support the digitisation of between 65 and 100 million specimens, unlocking UK collections and enabling major programmes of research and activity that make use of this data. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.dissco-uk.org/ |
| Description | Bio- and geo-diversity provide the support systems for all life on Earth. Yet the natural world is in peril, facing biodiversity and climate emergencies. Solutions to these problems can be found in DiSSCo UK data associated with UK natural science collections. Unlocking this potential requires a revolution in how we manage, share and use the UK's collections. The following identifies some of the major areas where digital collections unlocked by DiSSCo UK activities are having an impact: A vast data-rich scientific repository: Amongst the most important use of digitised collections is their role as historical baselines to quantify the impacts of human activity: the impact of agricultural intensification, the industrial revolution, the development of nuclear armaments, and-more generally-the influence and acceleration of anthropogenic change on biodiversity. Geoscience collections are critical to the UK's ambitions to resource the green economy as well as manage the impact of natural hazards. What humankind doesn't grow, it has to mine, and UK collections are incredible libraries documenting the sources of renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Underpinning local, regional and national policymaking: Protecting nature and biodiversity for a future in which both people and the planet thrive is not only a moral imperative but is increasingly part of policy and legal commitments by local, regional, and national authorities. Collection data inform a range of these commitments, including UK obligations to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. DiSSCo UK data is central to monitoring environmental change and testing predictions to ensure UK policies are 'nature-positive' and evidence-led. Supporting local collections: Local collections contribute unique specimens that bridge critical gaps in our taxonomic, geographic and temporal understanding of bio- and geodiversity. The impact of these collections often combines global significance with local embeddedness and activation, building on strong and equitable relationships with source communities and geographies. These collections are uniquely placed to connect with schools, volunteers and citizen science programmes, building a more creative and resilient natural science collection community. Addressing societal inclusivity and relevance: UK natural science collections have directly shaped our culture, our view of ourselves and our place in the world, adding social, aesthetic and historic value to the public understanding of science. Many items are part of the nation's iconic cultural heritage, and their digitisation unlocks forms of humanities research and societal engagement, impossible with physical collections, such as providing an opportunity to restore this "lost" heritage to communities, improving knowledge about them and boosting the integrity of the systems and institutions responsible for looking after them. Providing economic value: The value to UK research enabled by the digitisation of natural history collections is conservatively estimated to be in excess of £2 billion over 30 years for five thematic areas where data from natural science collections are widely used (https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.7.e78844). This generates a 7-10x return on investment and excludes benefits from other sectors and efficiency savings generated through collections digitisation. |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Environment,Healthcare,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Birmingham Museums |
| Organisation | Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Bristol Museum & Art Gallery |
| Organisation | Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - British Geological Survey |
| Organisation | British Geological Survey |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Great North Museum |
| Organisation | Great North Museum |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Horniman Museum & Gardens |
| Organisation | Horniman Museum and Gardens |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Manchester Museum |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Department | Manchester Museum |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefit |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh |
| Organisation | Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DiSSCo UK Collaboration - Royal Botanic Gardens Kew |
| Organisation | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | National Museum Wales |
| Organisation | National Museum Wales |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | National Museums NI |
| Organisation | National Museums Northern Ireland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | National Museums Scotland |
| Organisation | National Museums Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Oxford University Museum of Natural History |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Oxford University Museum of Natural History |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | NHM London has led the development of the business case for DiSSCo UK. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Representatives from this institution are part of the senior leadership team for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of more than 80 UK institutions. |
| Impact | Multi-disciplinary benefits |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Title | UK Natural Sciences Collections Portal |
| Description | This is the data Portal for DiSSCo UK, which is a partnership of institutions working together to harness the full potential of natural science collections through digitisation. This portal enables reliable knowledge and evidence about the natural world to be physically and digitally open, accessible, and usable for all forms of research and innovation. This portal uses data uploaded to GBIF. The 'Specimens' page provides specimen data uploaded to GBIF from UK-based data publishers with an active GRSciColl (The Global Registry of Scientific Collections) record. The 'Institutions' page uses UK GRSciColl records and acts as a one-stop resource for UK natural science collections, improving the visibility of institutions. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | On average, throughout 2022, there was a download of the Natural History Museum's digitised collections every 3 minutes and 24 seconds. A recent study by McKinsey, looking at the 7.6 million digitised specimen records from 12 UK institutions representing collections from 248 territories and countries, showed that these led to 2,710 publications since 2015. These UK collections appear in 12% of the total peer-reviewed journal articles on GBIF, despite them making up just 0.3% of the total number of records, suggesting they punch 40x above their weight compared to the average record. UK digitised collections led to an average of 2.2 publications per day throughout 2022, with more than 250 publications on each of the themes of climate change, invasive species and conservation. UK researchers are also amongst the most prolific users of this data, with more than 1,200 UK researchers estimated to have published citing UK collections uploaded to GBIF as part of a global user community of over 13,000 researchers from at least 160 countries who have cited UK digitised records. |
| URL | https://data.dissco-uk.org/ |
| Title | https://www.dissco-uk.org/ |
| Description | This is the website for the DiSSCo initiative, bringing together various resources to support the UK community in digitising natural science collections. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | This acts as a focal point for community activities and communication. |
| URL | https://www.dissco-uk.org/ |