A National Strategy for Systematic Biology Research The UK Systematics Forum In January 1996, the UK Systematics Forum secured additional funding to December 1998 from the Office of Science and Technology, with the principal aim of developing a national strategy for systematic biology research. The Forum was initially set up in February 1994 to promote communication and coordination within the systematics community. Since then, the group has established a number of initiatives (see below) aimed at developing a network of UK systematists in order to improve coordination of the nation's collections and associated expertise. These activities will provide the basis of carrying out the Forum's second phase of work: to develop a strategy for UK research in systematic biology. A national strategy for systematics research will be developed with consensus from the wider systematics community. It will aim to identify priorities for the UK's expertise and resources by enhancing co-operation and collaboration between institutions, and to strengthen the case for funding of systematic biology. Commitment to the strategy has already been expressed by the Directors of the leading UK collections-holding institutions at a meeting held in April 1996. This meeting was convened by the Forum to initiate discussion on content of the strategy and to build commitment to the initiative. The next phase will involve a survey of collections-holding institutions to gather base- line information on their current policies for systematics collections and research, and surveys of scientific and user needs for systematic biology research. Once a preliminary strategy has been developed, the Forum will carry out a wider consultation process to ensure that the final document has wide support. Development of the national strategy will take place alongside the Forum's on-going activities in its role promoting coordination: developing a database of UK systematics expertise, and supporting meetings of specialist groups of collection managers. Information from the database of expertise is available from a searchable directory, accessible from the Forum's Home Page (http://www.nhm.ac.uk/uksf). Certain information in the directory, such as the spread of experitse across taxonomic groups, will be used in developing the national strategy. UK systematists not currently included on the database are therefore urged to complete and submit a questionnaire - available either on-line or from the Secretary. Further information is available from: The Secretary, UK Systematics Forum, c/o The National History Museum, Cromwell Rd, London, SW7 5BD. Tel: 0171 938 9522, fax: 0171 938 9531, e-mail: ew@nhm.ac.uk. Emma Watson
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