Cleveland Museum Of Natural History

SAVING A LOST ECOSYSTEM: RESTORING AND EXPLORING THE EXCEPTIONALLY PRESERVED FOSSILS OF THE CLEVELAND SHALE (LATE DEVONIAN) -THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING A LARGE-SCALE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES THE BUILDING OF NEW PERMANENT EXHIBITS AND STORAGE FACILITIES. THE MUSEUM?S PALEONTOLOGY COLLECTIONS HOUSE FOSSILS FROM A UNIQUE TIME IN EARTH?S HISTORY, WHEN WHAT IS NOW CLEVELAND, OHIO, WAS A TROPICAL OCEAN THAT SUPPORTED AN UNFAMILIAR ECOSYSTEM. MANY OF THE DISTINCTIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS FOUND HERE WENT EXTINCT WHEN THE ENVIRONMENT CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AT THE END OF THE DEVONIAN PERIOD (~358 MILLION YEARS AGO). THE FOSSIL RECORD IN CLEVELAND PROVIDES A REMARKABLE GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST IMPACTS OF DRASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE?INFORMATION WITH FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE. THE MUSEUM HAS THE WORLD?S LARGEST COLLECTION OF CLEVELAND-AREA DEVONIAN FOSSILS; HOWEVER, THEY ARE CURRENTLY AT RISK DUE TO INADEQUATE STORAGE CONDITIONS. THE MUSEUM?S SCIENTISTS RECOGNIZE THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO SAVE THIS VALUABLE RECORD OF EARTH?S PAST. THEIR GOAL IS TO BUILD A STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS COLLECTION, DOCUMENT ALL THE EVIDENCE IT CONTAINS BEFORE IT DEGRADES FURTHER, AND EXPAND ACCESS TO ENABLE MORE SCIENTISTS TO USE THIS EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCE. ADDITIONALLY, PHOTOGRAPHING AND 3D-SCANNING THE FOSSILS WILL ALLOW GLOBAL AUDIENCES TO INTERACT WITH THEM IN NEW AND EXCITING WAYS. THE DEVONIAN PERIOD ENDED IN MILLIONS OF YEARS OF UPHEAVAL MARKED BY DRASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, MULTIPLE EXTINCTION EVENTS, AND THE LOSS OF THE MAJORITY OF MARINE LIFE. THESE EXTINCTIONS HAD DRAMATIC IMPACTS ON LIFE IN THE OCEANS AND ON VERTEBRATE EVOLUTION. NUMEROUS TRAITS OF MODERN VERTEBRATES?INCLUDING JAWS, TEETH, AND PELVIC FINS?FIRST APPEARED IN THE DEVONIAN FISH FOUND IN THE GEOLOGIC FORMATION KNOWN AS THE CLEVELAND SHALE MEMBER. MANY OF THE SPECIES UNCOVERED IN THESE LOCAL CLEVELAND DEPOSITS ARE NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. THE FOSSILS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY PRESERVED, RETAINING FEATURES LIKE SOFT TISSUES AND RARELY FOUND MORPHOLOGICAL INFORMATION. HOWEVER, PYRITE DISEASE IS CURRENTLY THREATENING THE PRESERVATION OF THE MUSEUM?S DEVONIAN FOSSIL COLLECTION. REACTIVE PYRITE THAT OCCURS NATURALLY IN THE CLEVELAND SHALE CAN OXIDIZE IN HUMID CONDITIONS, CREATING IRON SULFIDE, WHICH CAN DESTROY MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND ENTIRE SPECIMENS. THEREFORE, THE MUSEUM?S GOAL IS TO MOVE THE COLLECTION INTO A CLIMATE-CONTROLLED SPACE WITH NEW CABINETS, PUBLISH THE VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY DATASET TO GLOBAL AGGREGATORS FOR THE FIRST TIME, MAKE AND PUBLISH 3D SURFACE SCANS OF SPECIMENS TO RETAIN INFORMATION ABOUT MORPHOLOGY, AND USE THESE RECORDS IN EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO TEACH THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW MUCH THE EARTH HAS CHANGED AND WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

CAREER: DIGITIZED DATA, DUNG BEETLES AND THE DOME: IMPROVING THE UNDERSTANDING OF SPECIES DISTRIBUTION THROUGH RESEARCH AND PLANETARIUM-BASED EDUCATION.

REVSYS: MULTILEVEL REVISION WITHIN THE PRAYING MANTISES (INSECTA, DICTYOPTERA, MANTODEA)

ENSURING THE SUSTAINABLE PRESERVATION OF THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY?S HUMANITIES COLLECTION [THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY (THE MUSEUM) IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING A GRANT OF $350,000 TO HELP US COMPLETE OUR HIGHEST AND MOST URGENT PRESERVATION PRIORITY, WHICH IS REPLACING THE 35-YEAR-OLD HVAC SYSTEM THAT MAINTAINS CLIMATE CONTROL FOR OUR HUMANITIES COLLECTION. THE MUSEUM IS PLANNING TO REPLACE AN OUTDATED AND INEFFICIENT AIR HANDLER UNIT AND ASSOCIATED DUCTWORK AND CONTROLS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A STABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, FINE ARTS, AND RARE BOOKS COLLECTIONS, AS WELL AS OUR ARCHIVES. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO ADVANCE THE MUSEUM?S ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY GOALS BY INCREASING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DECREASING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT.]

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: PLIOCENE GEOLOGY, GEOCHRONOLOGY, AND PALEONTOLOGY OF WORANSO-MILLE, ETHIOPIA

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: DIGITIZATION TCN: INVERTEBASE: REACHING BACK TO SEE THE FUTURE: SPECIES-RICH INVERTEBRATE FAUNAS DOCUMENT CAUSES AND CONSEQUE

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WILL REHOUSE AND DIGITIZE THE HAMANN-TODD NON-HUMAN PRIMATE SKELETAL COLLECTION, WHICH COMPRISES ALMOST 1,000 SKELETAL SPECIMENS, INCLUDING OVER 400 GREAT APES—EACH WITH ACCOMPANYING RECORDS OF GENUS, SPECIES, DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE, AND WHERE THE SPECIMEN WAS COLLECTED. THE PROJECT WILL PROCESS BONES HOLDING DRIED SOFT TISSUE TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR SCIENTIFIC STUDY; 3D-SCAN SPECIMENS OF A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE COLLECTION AND PROVIDE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACCESS ONLINE; AND PURCHASE NEW STORAGE CABINETS, DRAWERS, TRAYS, AND ARCHIVAL QUALITY STORAGE BOXES TO UPGRADE AND EXTEND COLLECTION PRESERVATION. THE EFFORT WILL RESULT IN A WELL-PRESERVED COLLECTION THAT IS ACCESSIBLE FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND INTERNATIONALLY.

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WILL DESIGN, PROTOTYPE, AND IMPLEMENT AN INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT THAT PROMPTS VISITORS TO USE GESTURES TO SEE HOW THEY CONNECT WITH ORGANISMS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. MUSEUM STAFF WILL WORK WITH A CONSULTANT TO PRODUCE AUDIOVISUAL INSTALLATIONS IN THE EXHIBIT AND PROTOTYPE TECHNICAL ASPECTS, SUCH AS THE GAME ENGINE, VISUAL EFFECTS, BODY TRACKING, AS WELL AS USER FEEDBACK. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONSULTANT WILL DEVELOP A MANUAL FOR CONTENT AND TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AND TRAIN STAFF ON THE SOFTWARE UTILIZED FOR THE PROJECT. THE MUSEUM WILL MAKE THE SOFTWARE SOURCE CODE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR OTHER INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A SIMILAR MEDIA EXHIBIT. THE PROJECT IS PART OF A LARGER EFFORT TO MOVE BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL PRESENTATION OF ARTIFACTS BY REIMAGING AND REINVENTING THE MUSEUM’S FACILITIES, GALLERIES, AND VISITOR EXPERIENCES TO PLACE HUMANS WITHIN A BROADER CONTEXT.

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WILL IMPLEMENT "SLAM DUNK," A MULTIDISCIPLINARY INITIATIVE CENTERED AROUND DUNKLEOSTEUS TERRELLI, THE LARGEST PREDATOR AND ONE OF THE FIERCEST CREATURES ALIVE IN THE DEVONIAN "AGE OF FISHES," AND FOR WHICH THE MUSEUM HOLD THE BEST-PRESERVED FOSSILS. EACH EAST CLEVELAND CITY SCHOOLS KINDERGARTEN, 1ST GRADE, AND 2ND GRADE CLASS WILL VISIT THE MUSEUM FOR EXTENDED PROGRAMMING TWICE EACH SCHOOL YEAR. MUSEUM EDUCATORS WILL VISIT CLASSROOMS THREE TIMES EACH SCHOOL YEAR. MUSEUM STAFF WILL WORK WITH EAST CLEVELAND TEACHERS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERINGS TO INCREASE TEACHERS' COMFORT LEVEL WORKING WITH SCIENCE CONTENT. EACH SCHOOL WILL RECEIVE AN EDUCATOR RESOURCE CENTER MEMBERSHIP ALONG WITH BOOKS AND STEM MATERIALS. THE MUSEUM WILL ORGANIZE A FAMILY DAY AT THE MUSEUM EACH SPRING AND PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR RISING 3RD GRADE STUDENTS TO ATTEND THE MUSEUM'S WEEK-LONG SUMMER CAMPS.

THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WILL UNDERTAKE A PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE SECOND PHASE OF A MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE THE CONSERVATION AND ACCESSIBILITY OF ITS RARE BOOKS AND FINE ARTS COLLECTIONS, WHICH INCLUDES OVER 7,000 OBJECTS INCLUDING PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES, PRINTS, TEXTILES, AND PHOTOGRAPHS SPANNING THE 15TH THROUGH THE LATE 20TH CENTURY, AS WELL AS RARE BOOKS VALUED FOR THEIR HISTORIC AND AESTHETIC VALUE. THE GRANT WILL ALLOW THE MUSEUM TO INVENTORY, CATALOG, AND REHOUSE THESE MATERIALS, AIDING IN THEIR LONG-TERM CONSERVATION. ONCE COMPLETE, THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF INCREASING PUBLIC ACCESS TO THESE VALUABLE COLLECTIONS, WHICH DOCUMENT NATURAL DIVERSITY OVER TIME AND ILLUSTRATE THE INTRINSIC CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NATURE, ART, AND HUMAN CULTURE.

GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE - MENTOR MARSH COASTAL WETLAND RESTORATION PLANTING PROJECT

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EARLY EMERGENCE OF TOOL USE -THE GOAL OF THIS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT IS TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TOOL TECHNOLOGY IN THE HUMAN LINEAGE. HUMANS ARE DEPENDENT ON TECHNOLOGY FOR THEIR SURVIVAL. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHEN DURING THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF HUMANITY THIS RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED. THE EMERGENCE OF THE EARLIEST TOOL INDUSTRY APPEARED NEARLY THREE MILLION YEARS AGO AND MARKED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN HUMAN EVOLUTION. THE ABILITY TO MAKE AND USE STONE TOOLS MAY HAVE REPRESENTED AN ADAPTIVE BREAKTHROUGH, ENABLING EARLY TOOLMAKERS TO EXPLOIT A WIDER RANGE OF FOODS RESOURCES AND EXPAND INTO DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS. HOWEVER, MANY ASPECTS SURROUNDING THE ORIGIN OF LITHIC TECHNOLOGY REMAIN UNKNOWN, INCLUDING THE TAXONOMIC IDENTITY OF EARLY TOOLMAKERS, WHAT TOOLS WERE USED FOR, AND HOW FAR BACK IN TIME THE TECHNOLOGY EXTENDS. MOREOVER, THE LIMITED NUMBER OF RELEVANT SITES MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE DEGREE OF TECHNOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL AND ECOLOGICAL VARIABILITY IN THE EARLY ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD. UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT, TIMING, AND EVOLUTIONARY TRAJECTORY OF EARLY TOOL USE HOLDS GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE. THE PROJECT CONTRIBUTES TO THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND INTERNS. THIS PROJECT FOCUSES ON A SITE THAT DATES BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 3 AND 2.6 MILLION YEARS AGO. IT PRESENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE THE ORIGINS OF TOOL TECHNOLOGY. THE RESEARCH EXPANDS AND REFINES THE GEOLOGICAL, PALEONTOLOGICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HOMININ RECORDS AT THE SITE. THE RESEARCH TEAM WORKS TO CONSTRAIN THE ESTIMATED AGE, EXPAND THE SAMPLE OF FOSSILS AND STONE TOOLS, AND UNDERTAKES ADDITIONAL ANALYSES TO SHED LIGHT ON HOMININ BEHAVIOR AND PALEOECOLOGY. THE PROJECT INVOLVES EXCAVATING ADDITIONAL SITES OVER A BROADER AREA, GATHERING DATA FOR PALEOECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS AND PALEOENVIRONMENTAL RECONSTRUCTION, REFINING GEOCHRONOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY AND SURVEYING NEIGHBORING LOCALITIES. THE FINDINGS PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF EARLY HOMININ BEHAVIOR AT THE DAWN OF STONE TOOL TECHNOLOGY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

GEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF THE WORANSO-MILLE, AFAR, ETHIOPIA

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY, PALEOECOLOGY, AND CONTINUED INVESTIGATION OF A DIVERSE, TERMINAL MIOCENE, PRIMATE-BEARING FAUNA FROM SOUTH

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN UPDATED DIGITAL MICROSCOPY STATION FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY MUSEUM RESEARCH AND STUDENT TRAINING

GREAT LAKES RESTORATION INITIATIVE ASHTABULA RIVER REFORESTRATION PLANTING PROJECT

DISCOVER - EXPLORE - CONNECT: ENGAGING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH HISTORICAL RECORDS IN THE NATURAL SCIENCE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: MODULATORY ROLE OF CENTRAL COMPLEX BRAIN SYSTEMS IN CONTEXT DEPENDENT PREDATION OF THREE MANTIS SPECIES

EXPANDING STEM/ASTRONOMY LEARNING TO UNDERSERVED YOUTH COMMUNITIES

MENTOR MARCH RESTORATION

IMPROVE THE SUITABILITY OF THE WETLAND HABITAT AT THE SITE FOR AMPHIBIAN BREEDING.

PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT