University of Oklahoma (Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma)

The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History will preserve its genetics resources collection by rehousing the collection in a liquid nitrogen storage system, eliminating its dependence on electricity. The project will secure the collection against loss due to power disruptions or freezer failure, prevent sample degradation, increase growth capacity and provide educational experiences for undergraduates, K-12 teachers and students through training and outreach. Tissue samples will be rehoused and inventoried, and the collection database will be updated to reflect taxonomic changes and new sample locations in the storage system. The museum will disseminate the project results via the database, media outlets, events, and publications, connecting the collection to research and increasing public awareness about the importance of genetic resources and the museum's role in genetics research. The project will support scholarly research and contribute to the multidisciplinary teaching, research, and outreach missions of the museum and the University of Oklahoma.