Description: Dr. Nancy Knowlton, Marine Scientist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History researches the ecology and evolution of coral reefs using molecular genetics, field studies, and mathematical modeling. #Groundbreaker
Description: Materials scientist Dr. Odile Madden, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, studies the role of polymer-plasticizer interaction in plastic degradation and the characterization and reverse engineering of historic plastic artifacts. #Groundbreaker
Description: Icthyologist and Curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Carole Baldwin, has publised over 5 dozen scientific articles and discovered new species of fishes in several tropical locations. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Paula DePriest, Deputy Director, Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute, and lichenologist, travels to Mongolia each year to build GIS data of the Mongolian region as part of a larger cultural heritage effort at the Smithsonian to create GIS databases for archaeological and historical sites. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Mary Baker, Research Organic Chemist & Museum Conservator, Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (1987–2000), used differential scanning calorimetry to determine the extent of crystallization in order to establish proper storage and handling procedures for spacesuits. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Anna J. Phillips, Research Zoologist, National Museum of Natural History, focuses on the systematics, evolution, and host associations of two parasitic worms: leeches and tapeworms. She has conducted fieldwork on 6 of the 7 continents. #Groundbreaker