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The Beaty Centre for Species Discovery

Linking the core strengths of the museum to advance and enhance the impact and reach of what we do.

Drawing upon our established base of expertise in collection-based research, The Beaty Centre for Species Discovery will link the core functions of the museum to advance and enhance the impact and reach of our research, collections and education programmes.

The goals of the centre are to position the museum as

• a national leader and global influencer in advancing and sharing knowledge about species discovery and change
• a global museum leader in natural-heritage collections storage, preservation and digitization
• a national leader in nature inspiration, both on-site and off-site.

In the course of accomplishing these goals, the centre aspires to

• transform people's understanding of the relevance of species discovery and change to their lives now and in the future
• become a collections collaborator and partner with institutions around the world, seeking to collect, preserve and digitize specimens that document the nature of Canada
• transform people's expectations of the museum as a destination for discussion, connection and exploration with nature's past, present and future that advances understanding and respect for the natural world.

Director: Robert Anderson.

Research Projects

The research projects in zoology, botany, mineralogy and palaeobiology at the Canadian Museum of Nature are each important contributions to The Beaty Centre for Species Discovery.

Cryogenic Collection Facility

Our future cryogenic collection facility will house the genetic-resource holdings of our collections. It will also position the museum as a global leader in modern collections facilities and methods by housing biological materials central to the documentation of new species and understanding of species change through time through the use of cutting edge genomics.

Travel Grants: Canadian Museum of Nature Visiting Scientist Awards

The Centre for Species Discovery and Change awards annual travel grants for research in plant, animal, mineral and fossil systematics that involves the museum's collections. How to apply.

Beaty Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Species Discovery

This position for a post-doctoral candidate will focus on species at risk, including communication with the public about species loss, species at risk and the importance of conservation to species preservation. The Fellow will work with The Beaty Centre for Species Discovery.

Digitization and Digital Imaging Project

Digitization and high-resolution imaging of our Arctic collection specimens will make this real evidence of Arctic biodiversity readily available to anyone. Rapid and reliable access to data on species distribution and natural history are critical for implementing conservation decisions and understanding environmental change.