Agency history, 1966-

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Subject

  • Warner, William W
  • Wallen, I. E (Irvin Eugene) 1921-
  • Challinor, David
  • Eilers, William L
  • Berkowitz, Francine C
  • Coerr, Wymberley D
  • Fannon, Molly
  • Schmertz, Kennedy B
  • Reinhardt, John E
  • Rosenthal, Aviva
  • Smithsonian Foreign Currency Program
  • Smithsonian Institution Office of Environmental Sciences
  • Smithsonian Institution Office of International and Environmental Programs
  • Smithsonian Institution Office of International Programs
  • Smithsonian Institution Office of International Activities
  • Smithsonian Institution Directorate of International Activities
  • Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies
  • Smithsonian Institution Office of Fellowships and Grants

Category

Agency History

Notes

  • This is an agency history. It does not describe actual records. The Smithsonian Institution Archives uses these histories as brief accounts of the origin, development, and functions of an office or administrative unit to set that unit in its historical context. To find information on record holdings, please double-click the highlighted field "Creator/Author", which will open on a brief view of relevant records.
  • Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution, 1966-1984
  • Smithsonian Year Supplement, 1985-1992
  • Annals of the Smithsonian Institution, 1993-1997
  • Smithsonian Directory, 1997, 2000
  • Office of International Relations, Meet Our Staff, Aviva Rosenthal, https://global.si.edu/people/aviva-rosenthal, accessed October 4, 2021.
  • LinkedIn, Molly Fannon, https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-fannon-3923921/?originalSubdomain=dk, accessed October 4, 2021.
  • LinkedIn, Aviva Rosenthal, https://www.linkedin.com/in/avivarosenthal/, accessed October 4, 2021.
  • The Office of International Activities (OIA) was established in March 1966, with William W. Warner, a consultant to the Secretary for international matters since 1964, as Director. The role of OIA was to establish cooperative research programs with institutions of higher learning in other countries and to serve as the Smithsonian's point of liaison with United States government agencies and international organizations dealing with matters of interest to the Institution. The Smithsonian Foreign Currency Program (SFCP) was established under the direction of OIA. Warner served as Director of OIA until 1968. He was succeeded by David Challinor, 1968-1971, and Kennedy B. Schmertz, 1971-1973.
  • The Office of Environmental Sciences (OES) was established in October 1970 to "make more visible the Smithsonian's broad spectrum of research projects in the environmental sciences and improve the opportunities for attracting financial support and scientific collaboration." The Smithsonian programs in oceanography and ecology, along with the Chesapeake Bay Center for Environmental Studies (CBCES), were joined under the direction of OES. Directors of OES included Irvin Eugene Wallen, 1970-1971, and William L. Eilers, 1971-1973.
  • In October 1973, OIA and OES were combined to form the Office of International and Environmental Programs (OIEP). Wymberley D. Coerr was appointed Director of the new Office, and Eilers became Deputy Director. Former OIA and OES programs continued to receive support under OIEP. In May 1975, the Smithsonian decided to dissolve the environmental sciences component of OIEP. At that time, OIEP was renamed the Office of International Programs (OIP). Coerr continued as Director of OIP until 1976, when he was replaced by Kennedy B. Schmertz. OIP was abolished in 1978. The Office's International Liaison Section was renamed the Office of International Activities, with Schmertz as Director of the new office. OIP's Foreign Currency Program was transferred to the Office of Fellowships and Grants.
  • Kennedy B. Schmertz continued as OIA Director until 1984, when the office was reorganized as the Directorate of International Activities (DIA), headed by John E. Reinhardt, 1984-1987. Upon the retirement of Reinhart in August 1987, Francine C. Berkowitz began serving as acting director and the following year DIA was renamed the Office of International Relations (OIR). Berkowitz would eventually become OIR Director in 1989, and after she retired the position was held by Molly Fannon from March 2013 to March 2019. Aviva Rosenthal was appointed OIR Director in March 2020, and in February 2024 OIR was renamed the Office of Global Affairs.
  • For a history of the larger creating unit, refer to "Forms part of " above.

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

Date

  • 1966
  • 1966-

Topic

  • International education
  • Education
  • International relations
  • Museums
  • Exchange of persons programs
  • Museums--Educational aspects

Form/Genre

Mixed archival materials

Local number

SIA AH00267

Full Record

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