Economic analyses of costs & benefits of scientific collections
April 21, 2021
Organized in collaboration with
The U.S. Culture Collections Network (USCCN)
Location
Online
Presenters
- David E. Schindel, Research Associate, Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Research, Smithsonian Institution
- Scott Miller, Chief Scientist, Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Research, Smithsonian Institution
Outline
In this webinar, we presented the main findings and recommendations of the report “Economic Analyses of Federal Scientific Collections: Methods for Documenting Costs and Benefits” published in December 2020 by the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press.
The report, a joint effort of 15 federal departments and agencies led by the Smithsonian and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides illustrative examples of the many ways federal scientific collections serve the nation, from vaccine development to earthquake preparedness.
While the report focuses on federal collections, it also serves as a guide for other museums, universities, research institutions and industries. The publication offers evidence-based methods for measuring the benefits of scientific collections against the costs of maintaining them.
References
- Website for the report
- A slide presentation introducing the report
- Press release of the report
- IWGSC Clearinghouse