Reference Request
Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 7380
Imlay, Ralph W. (Ralph Willard), 1908-1989
Ralph Willard Imlay Papers, 1933-1984 and undated
Historical Note
Ralph Willard Imlay (1908-1989) was a paleontologist and authority on North American Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous invertebrate fauna. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1933. In 1940, Imlay joined the staff of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) as a Geologist. He remained with the USGS until his retirement in 1970. Imlay was a Research Associate in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), from 1967 until his death.
During his USGS career, Imlay conducted extensive field research in the western United States, Alaska, and Mexico where he collected many of the Jurassic fossils in the NMNH collection. He served as President of the Paleontological Society during 1964-1965.
Introduction
This finding aid was digitized with funds generously provided by the Smithsonian Institution Women's Committee.
Descriptive Entry
This collection consists mostly of correspondence documenting Ralph Willard Imlay's work at the USGS and the Department of Paleobiology, NMNH, and his research on invertebrate paleontology. The correspondence is with USGS, domestic, and foreign colleagues and concerns the identification of specimens, field work, publication of scientific papers, and professional matters. Also included are notes, lists, and illustrations from his research.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.
Name
- Imlay, Ralph W. (Ralph Willard), 1908-1989
- Geological Survey (U.S.)
- National Museum of Natural History (U.S.). Department of Paleobiology
- Paleontological Society
- University of Michigan
Subject
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7380, Ralph Willard Imlay Papers