Compiled by Milo Phillips, Digitisation Co-ordinator at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
Welcome to the July 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
Call for Abstracts – GCG Winter Seminar – Unnatural Disaster: fighting back against the steady erosion of geological collections
Despite their clear public popularity, the future of geological collections, as well as that of the people and institutions who care for them, feels constantly under threat. The 2026 GCG Winter Seminar will serve as a ‘call to arms’ for those in our community to present on and discuss the public and scientific benefits of our collections.
The Winter Seminar and AGM will take place on the 18th November 2026 at Manchester Museum. A fieldtrip to the Peak District (max. capacity 20) and tours of the Manchester Museum collections (max. capacity 10) will take place on19th November.
The deadline for abstracts is the 31st of July 2026. Find more information here.
Transmitting Science Online Courses
Transmitting Science is running two upcoming training courses.
Firstly, “QGIS: An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)”, designed to introduce participants to the world of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) using QGIS, a free and open-source software widely used for spatial analysis. Information and registration can be found here.
Later in the year they also have “Modelling and analysing multivariate traits evolution using R”. The aim of this course is to introduce participants to methods for modelling and analysing the evolution of multivariate traits using the mvMORPH R package. This course takes place during September. Further details and registration information can be found on the course overview page here.
NatSCA Lunchtime Chats – call for speakers
The lunchtime chats are for members only and run on the last Thursday of every month.
This series is supposed to be informal; no fancy equipment is needed; it will be put out over the NatSCA Zoom platform and there is no fixed format. For those who want to take part please email training@natsca.org to put forward your idea.
All members will have received a link to join via Zoom (the same link works for all sessions) – if you haven’t, get in touch with membership@natsca.org.
Where to Visit
Exhibition – 34: The critical raw materials shaping our future
June 2026 – April 2027 visit ’34: The Critical Raw Materials Shaping Our Future’ at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History to uncover the materials that power our daily lives, where they come from, and how we’ll source them in the future.
What to Read
State of the World’s Plants & Fungi 2026 – The Digital Biodiversity Revolution
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s State of the World’s Plants and Fungi report provides assessments of our current knowledge of the diversity of plants and fungi on Earth, the global threats that they face, and the policies to safeguard them.
The report reveals the state of global biodiversity and explores how digital tools are now transforming our ability to understand and respond to the climate and biodiversity crises, expose critical gaps in scientific knowledge, and highlight where action is most urgently needed to safeguard plants and fungi.
Harnessing the Benefits of Specimen Digitisation – A New Phytologist Special Collection
This joint special collection of papers explores the various ways in which digitised specimens – their images and associated data – are changing the way we study plants and fungi. The papers published in the New Phytologist and Plants, People, Planet, formed the basis for the above report from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
From the Blog… Fishing for Okapi
Emma Winnard, an A-level biology student with an interest in museum collections, exploring the importance of Okapi specimens in our natural science collections.
We also have Patricia Francis, Natural History Curator of Gallery Oldham, giving us a deeper look at the practicalities and histories of the wonderful fish casts in their collection.
Where to Work
Head of Botany – Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales
Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales seeks a new Head of Botany to lead an experienced curatorial team driving forward innovative research and public engagement programmes. As Project Lead on high-impact research projects, you’ll champion interdisciplinary collaboration across sciences, arts, and humanities, directly supporting our Strategy 2030 vision.
Permanent, Full-Time (35hrs/wk); £57,822.85 – £62,434.05
Full details and guidance on how to apply can be found here.
Regional Collections Assistants & Web Coordinator – GCG
If you’re passionate about and have some experience in working or volunteering with geological collections, and have the time to volunteer and dedicate to a role – the Geological Collections Group (GCG) is seeking two volunteer Regional Collections Assistants to join their fantastic Collections Working Group. The role description is available here.
To apply, please send ~200 words detailing why you would like the role to secretary@geocurator.org by 30th July 2026.
GCG is also seeking a Web Coordinator to join their Committee. The role description is available here. To apply, please send ~200 words detailing why you would be a good fit for the position to secretary@geocurator.org. Please apply by Friday 17th July 2026.
Collections Digitisation posts at the Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford
Two roles to work on a collections digitisation project at the Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford as part of the Central England Digitisation Co-Hub. The primary focus of the roles is on high-throughput pinned-insect digitisation, but will also involve digitising herbarium sheets at the Oxford University Herbaria.
The closing date is midday on 27 July 2026.
Senior Digitiser https://oumnh.web.ox.ac.uk/senior-digitiser
Fixed-term: Full-time post for 18 months.
Salary £32,108- £33,810 per annum
Apply for the Senior Digitiser role here
Digitiser (2 posts) https://oumnh.web.ox.ac.uk/digitiser
Fixed-term: Full-time post for 18 months.
Salary: £28,437 – £29,761 per annum
Apply for the Digitiser roles here.
Contact email: recruitment@glam.ox.ac.uk
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.
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