Lucy Hunter Baird’s work on her father’s biography reveals a long history of strong, independent, and intellectually curious women in the Baird family. Lucy, who was inspired by their examples and supported by the Smithsonian’s second Secretary, developed her own expertise in natural history and exhibited a lifelong commitment to science.

Exploring news coverage of women’s work in the sciences at the Smithsonian in the early twentieth century.

How does one climb from working as a clerk typist to being appointed second-in-command at the Smithsonian? Meet Carmen E. Turner.

Choosing the right treatment method can be a challenge—especially when mass interventions are needed on a tight deadline.

Joan Madden, Assistant Director for Education, 1987–88, Supervisory Information and Education Specialist, 1980–86, and Education Coordinator, 1974–80, was integral to the development and management of the Discovery Room and Naturalist Center at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. She also managed volunteers for Smithsonian’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 1969–1973. #Groundbreaker

Sheryl Kolasinski, Director, Office of Planning and Project Management, 1995–2011, and Deputy Director, Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations, 2011–2012, managed major capital projects and helped maintain safety and security across the Smithsonian. #Groundbreaker

Ruth B. MacManus and Gertrude Brown bonded over their heavy workloads and shared experiences as working women in the Great Depression. Together, they helped improve a publication that does not bear their names: the Smithsonian Scientific Series.  

A recap and highlights from the Archives team at "Working Women: The Smithsonian Institution as a Case Study," the first annual Smithsonian American Women’s History Initaive symposium

We’re uncovering names of some of the earliest women in science at the Smithsonian.

Dr. Joan W. Nowicke, Curator, Department of Botany, was an internationally recognized palynologist specializing in pollen morphology at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1972–99. Nowicke earned special recognition in the 1980s for her work studying “Yellow Rain,” which some governments alleged was a form of chemical biological warfare. #Groundbreaker