New Smithsonian Directors Appointed

Summary

Robert J. Koestler, entomologist and cell biologist, is appointed director of the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education, effective August 30, 2004. Previously, he worked in the conservation of biological materials at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and American Museum of Natural History in New York. He succeeds Lambertus van Zelst, who retired in July 2003 after serving as director of SCMRE for 19 years.
Harold A. Closter is appointed director of Smithsonian Affiliations effective August 2004. He had been acting director since the retirement of former director Michael Carrigan in March of 2004. Closter had been at the Smithsonian for 27 years, first with the Division of Performing Arts and Festival of American Folklife. He served in management positions at the National Museum of American History from 1983 to 2001, serving as assistant director for public service from 1994 to 2001. He then served as senior management advisor in the Office of National Programs.

Smithsonian "Torch," 04-09, September 2004, pp. 1, 6, 8.

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

August 2004