Dr. Patricia Mergen Biology Department

Head of the Cyber-taxonomy and Biodiversity Information Unit

Royal Museum For Central Africa (RMCA) Federal Scientific Esthablisment (FSE), public

Tervuren, Belgium

Important and unique Research Institution focusing on the past and present societies

and natural environments of Africa,

in particular Central Africa.

10 million zoological specimens, 250 thousand rock samples and minerals 180 thousand ethnographic objects, 60 thousand wood samples, (worlwide)20 thousand maps, 8 thousand musical instruments 2 km archives, including Stanley Archives1 central + 17 thematic libraries

Collections

www.africamuseum.be Patricia.Mergen@africamuseum.be

Belgian Taxonomic Facilities (Be-TAF)

Biodiversity Information Standards, TDWG

Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GBIF

Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities, CETAF

FP5 ENBI

FP6 EDIT, SYNTHESYS

FP7 SYNTHESYS II

EcontentPlus: Sterna, BHL-Europe, Mimo, … Europeana

Geographic Information Systems

Species Distribution modeling

DNA Barcoding

Digital imaging

….

- Domain specific scientific expertise

- Content and technology provider, advisory organ on Data Standards

- Training providers (Summer School, group and individual trainings in our institutions)

- Outreach and Capacity Building (communication and education services)

- Add an African Dimension to your projects

What can we offer ?

What are we searching for ?

- Assess if we can become partner of existing or forming consortia:

-Climate change (content and expertise provider)

-Environment and health (content provider)

-Natural resources (Biodiversity, taxonomic information)

-Earth observation (GIS technology, maps, geo-referenced data)

- Sustainable Development (content provider for modeling)