MSC. Work also continued on rhe assessment of preservation, 

 and recovery, of DNA and other biomolecules from the fossil 

 record. A mechanism by which DNA is stabilized in the fossil 

 record through cross-linking to collagen was identified. 



Although the earlier mentioned construction work greatly 

 impeded the organization of courses, the Furniture Conserva- 

 tion Training Program was still able to conduct the last four 

 courses for the class of 1996; the students in that class will 

 spend FY96, their last year in the program, in internships. 

 Other educational activities proceeded successfully. Two stu- 

 dents worked, as interns in the atchaeological conservation 

 training program, at sites in Pakistan (Harappa) and Hondu- 

 ras (Copan). At the latter site, Harvard University established 

 this year an archaeological field school and collaboration with 

 the latter program enabled CAL to expand its activities to 

 teaching of conservation principles to archaeologists in that 

 school. Again, local archaeologists and museum professionals 

 at both sites benefitted from the CAL presence through for- 

 mal and informal instruction. The Research Library and Ar- 

 chives Conservation Training (RELACT) program continued 

 its educational activities for managers and users of paper 

 based research collections in the Smithsonian museums and re- 

 search institutions. Four research collections received practical 

 preservation assistance within the context of this program, 

 while professionals who have received instruction were again 

 provided with access to the CAL based resource center. 



CAL proceeded with the production of instructional video- 

 tapes: in addition to the first one on Furniture Care and Mainte- 

 nance, a second one on Rescuing Records — Recognizing Values 

 and Problems, intended for an audience of managers of paper 

 based research collections in museums, libraries and archives, was 

 produced. Both videotapes will be available shortly, after the ac- 

 companying documentation has been prepared. 



Preparations with the faculty of the local Suitland High 

 School, for a collaborative program aimed at the development 

 and testing of high school curriculum enrichment materials, 

 led to the formulation of a pilot program which saw its in- 

 ception shortly before the end of the reporting period. During 

 the first semester of the academic year 1995-96, a class of stu- 

 dents will receive instruction at the laboratory on the proper- 

 ties of materials in art. This instruction will also be integrated 

 in other courses taught at the school by the faculty. This proj- 

 ect is considered a first step in a long-term program of educa- 

 tional outreach on the secondary education level. 



With an increased emphasis on production of special CAL 

 publications, an in-house desk-top publishing facility was in- 

 stalled. Its first production was a newly designed Annual Re- 

 port for FY94. Another major addition to the Support and 

 Collaboration group was the image storage and analysis equip- 

 ment for microscopical images; in combination with the new 

 optical research microscope, and able to receive images from 

 the electron microscope, this addition has brought CAL to 

 house a state-of-the-art microscopy facility, which will greatly 

 help the laboratory to reach its stated goal of establishing a 

 center of excellence in research microscopy. 



Close before the end of the year, the newly established ex- 

 ternal Advisory Board paid a two day review visit to CAL. Pre- 

 pared with advance documentation, the Committee heard 

 presentations by CAL management and by leaders of various 

 programs and projects, met with the Provost and Assistant 

 Provost for the Sciences, inspected the laboratory facilities, 

 had individual meetings with all staff members, and met over 

 lunch with a group of external collaborators. While the Com- 

 mittee had not yet submitted its report at the time of this 

 writing, preliminary reactions were highly favorable and 

 encouraging. 



National Museum of Natural History 



Dr. Donald J. Ortner, Acting Director 



In keeping with its mission^to understand the natural world 

 and the place of humans in it — the National Museum of Nat- 

 ural History continued its tradition of excellence in scientific 

 research, public outreach, and collections acquisition and man- 

 agement in 1995. As one of the world's largest research muse- 

 ums, NMNH maintains more than 120 million cultural 

 artifacts and specimens of plants, animals, fossils, rocks, and 

 minerals. Through its educational programs, scholarly and 

 popular publications, and numerous public exhibits — which 

 on a yearly basis attract more than 6 million visitors — 

 NMNH is at the forefront of natural history museums world- 

 wide in disseminating knowledge about the natural and 

 cultural diversity of the Earth. 



What follows are highlights from each of the Museum's 

 many areas of accomplishment and expertise. 



General Information 



The Research Initiatives Program completed a successful first 

 year with a total of $325,100 awarded competitively to 27 pro- 

 posals involving 35 NMNH Principle Investigators (26 cura- 

 tors and 9 support staff). The awards helped to foster exciting 

 research and collections wotk within the Museum, as well as 

 supporting new directions in research.. 



In 1995, NMNH staff obtained substantial outside research 

 and collections grants totaling over $6 million. For example. 

 Dr. Brian Kensley of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology 

 (IZ) spearheaded an agreement between the National Science 

 Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution concerning the 

 Biological Collections from Polar Regions. This agreement, 

 worth $1,250,000, is to be awarded over the span of 5 years 

 and designates Invertebrate Zoology as a "Centet for Excel- 

 lence in Antarctic Research." 



Two new scientists have been added to the Museum staff 

 this year and will be joining the Department of Entomology. 

 They are: Dr. Ted Schultz, a specialist in the systematics and 

 ecology of ants, and Dr. Daniel Polhemus, an expert in flies. 



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