Description: Adela Gómez, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 1945-83, spent the majority of her years at the Smithsonian as a special administrative assistant to the director. In 1977, she was presented with the Smithsonian Institution Secretary’s Gold Medal for Exceptional Service. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Kristina Anderson-Teixeira, Forest Ecologist, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute & Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 2012–present, leads the ForestGEO Ecosystems and Climate Program. In 2019, she won the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. #Groundbreaker
Description: Phylogeneticist Dr. Beryl Simpson, formerly curator at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, received the 2010 José Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in Tropical Botany for her contributions to the field and 3 decades of mentoring future botanists. #Groundbreaker
Description: Judy Gradwohl was a researcher, curator, environmental policy specialist, digital content developer, and leader at the Smithsonian, 1985–2016. She conducted research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and National Zoo, and eventually became the MacMillan Associate Director for Education and Public Engagement at the National Museum of American History in 2004.
Description: Each week, the Archives features a woman who has been a groundbreaker at the Smithsonian, past or present, in a series titled Wonderful Women Wednesday.
Description: Dr. Helene C. Muller-Landau, Lead Scientist, CTFS Global Forest Carbon Initiative, has researched the patterns, causes, and consequences of plant diversity for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute since 2008. As leader of the program, Muller-Landau strives to implement standardized measurements of forest carbon stocks and fluxes across forest research sites.
Description: Dr. Marie-Hélène Sachet joined the Smithsonian in 1966 as a special advisor in tropical botany at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. When the program ended in 1968, she was transferred to the Department of Botany, where she remained, eventually serving as a curator in the division, until her death in 1986. #Groundbreaker