Compiled by Claire Dean, Project Curator, Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery.

Welcome to the January edition of NatSCA Digital Digest.

A monthly blog series featuring the latest on where to go, what to see and do in the natural history sector including jobs, exhibitions, conferences, and training opportunities. We are keen to hear from you if you have any top tips and recommendations for our next Digest, please drop an email to blog@natsca.org.

Sector News

The NatSCA annual conference and AGM will be held at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th April 2023. The focus this year is So how do we actually do all this? Hopeful futures and turning theory into practice for big issues in natural history collections.

We are looking for 20-minute presentations, 5-minute lightning talks, and posters. Work can be presented in-person or digitally. All the details you need are here. The deadline for submission is 5pm GMT Monday 30th January.

Abstract submissions are also now open for SPNHC 2023. The 38th Annual Meeting of The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections is being held in San Francisco, California 28 May – 2 June 2023. Full details here.

Where to Visit

The University of Dundee has a new exhibition of work by women artists and scientists who have explored the natural world Uncertain Territories – Women and Nature is on until the 1^st April.

The only clear and recognizable image of Neil Armstrong on the moon, along with many other remastered NASA images, can currently be seen at Glasgow Science Centre.

You can come face-to-face with digitally recreated, life-sized northern white rhino at the Natural History Museum in The Lost Rhino – a free art installation that explores extinction, conservation and technology.

An exhibition exploring the wellbeing benefits of nature opens at Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham on 28^th January. Gardd Gorwelion/Horizon Garden will explore community and alternative growing in response to the societal urgencies that are climate change, social isolation, loneliness and food poverty. The exhibition will also serve as a lush and vibrant green escape for visitors.

What to Read

There’s a fascinating new post on the NatSCA blog: Listening and learning: Reflections on the Second Workshop of the People and Plants Project.

This is a distressing story about Moon the humpback whale who has completed her annual 5,000km migration with a broken back.

This year, Natural History Museum scientists have described and named 351 species new to science and you can find out more about them here.

And Nature has helpfully put together a quick round-up of science events to watch for in 2023.

Where to Work

Science Museum Group are looking for a Research Engagement Manager for a 2 year fixed term post (deadline 15/01/23).

Wellcome Collection is looking for Culturally Sensitive Collections Liaison who will help them address the colonial roots of their collections by actively changing how they manage and use them (deadline 18/01/23)

Edinburgh Science Festival is recruiting for a number of short term roles for their 2023 festival (deadline 18/01/23).

Kew has an opening for an Herbarium Collections Assistant (deadline 22/01/23).

The Natural History Museum’s Urban Nature project is offering two, Level 2 horticultural apprenticeships running from April 2023 – April 2025 (deadline (06/02/23).

Before You Go…

If you have any top tips and recommendations for our next Digest please drop an email to blog@natsca.org. Similarly, if you have something to say about a current topic, or perhaps you want to tell us what you’ve been working on, we welcome new blog articles so please drop Jen an email if you have anything you would like to submit.