The university of montana biodiversity research collections (umbrc) will enhance montana's museum workforce by creating a robust natural history collections career pathway for students and public…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded the University of Montana $1 million on September 1, 2026, under the 21st Century Museum Professional Program (CFDA 45.032) to enhance Montana's museum workforce through career pathway development and professional training in natural history collections management.

The University of Montana's Biodiversity Research Collections will establish a Natural History Collections Assistantship Program providing graduate students with training in curation, digital asset management, intern mentoring, and public programming and outreach. The university will integrate a Natural History Collections pathway within its existing Museum Studies Certificate Program, offering coursework to prepare current and future museum professionals in specimen collection, curation, digitization, and database management. UMBRC curators and graduate assistants will facilitate a workshop series addressing collection management for institutions, citizen scientists, researchers, public and private land managers, and amateur naturalists. The project expands UMBRC's capacity to recruit and train future museum professionals while providing the public with knowledge and resources to support collaborative relationships with natural history museums.

Work is performed in Missoula, Montana. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029. The award is classified as a Project Grant.

The university of montana biodiversity research collections (umbrc) will enhance montana's museum workforce by creating a robust natural history collections career pathway for students and public audiences. The project supports a natural history collections assistantship program that will provide graduate students with training in curation, digital asset management, mentoring interns, and public programming and outreach. Umbrc will also create a natural history collections pathway within the university of montana's existing museum studies certificate program, by offering coursework specific to natural history collections that will prepare current and future museum professionals to collect, curate, digitize, and database natural history specimens. Umbrc curators and graduate assistants will facilitate a workshop series that addresses collection management for institutions and citizen scientists, researchers, public and private land managers, and amateur naturalists. As a result, the umbrc will expand its capacity to recruit and train future museum professionals while also providing the public with the knowledge and resources to support reciprocally beneficial collaboration with natural history museums.