Description: Dr. Anthea M. Hartig, Elizabeth MacMillan Director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, became the first woman to ever lead the museum in 2019. She oversees more than 250 employees, a budget of $40 million, and 1.8 million objects. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dr. Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Research Scientist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center since 2014, works with large marine vertebrates, including pinnipeds and seabirds. She is the Program Manager of the Migratory Connectivity Project, which aims to use technologies to track bird species throughout their annual cycle. #Groundbreaker
Description: 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
Description: Dr. Sharon F. Patton, Director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, 2003-2008, oversaw the museum’s 9,000 African art objects and welcomed the distinguished Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection. Under her leadership, the museum opened its first traveling exhibition and established a visiting artists program. #Groundbreaker
Description: Forensic ornithologist, Roxie Collie Laybourne, created the field of forensic ornithology which has improved air safety through the use of bird data, by making modifications to flight plans and creating programs to scare away birds at some airports. #Groundbreaker
Description: Dianne van der Reyden was a paper conservator at the Smithsonian from 1981 to 2002. She was hired by the National Museum of American History in 1981 and was promoted to senior paper conservator and head of the paper conservation section before transferring to the Smithsonian’s Conservation Analytical Laboratory in 1984. There, van der Reyden was promoted to head of paper
Description: Last week, Dr. Cynthia Chavez Lamar was named director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Chavez Lamar has worked at the Museum throughout her career, from an internship in 1994 to her current role as acting associate director for collections and operations. Between 2000 and 2005, she was an associate curator, leading the work on “Our Lives,” one of