Smithsonian Institution Archives

Gilberto Ocana Oral History Interview, 1989

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU9576
Creators:
Ocana, Gilberto, interviewee
Dates:
1989
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
2 audiotapes (Reference copies).
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Introduction

Introduction
The Smithsonian Institution Archives began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives' record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program staff conduct interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. There are also interviews conducted by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Ocana was interviewed for the Smithsonian Institution Archives Oral History Collection because of his research career in agronomy in Panama, as a professor at the University of Panama and researcher and administrator at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
This interview of Ocana by Pamela M. Henson of Smithsonian Institution Archives discusses his family, education, work as an agronomist and professor in Panama, and career at STRI, especially his agriforestry project. The collection consists of 2.5 hours of audiotape recordings and 34 pages of transcript. For a videotaped interview of Ocana at the site of the agriforestry project on Gigante Peninsula, see Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9553, Conservation of Endangered Species Videohistory Interviews.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Gilberto Ocana (1931-2004), agronomist specializing in tropical flora, received the B.S. from the Ecole Nationale d'Agriculture in Alger, Algeria, in 1955. From 1955 to 1960, he served on the staff of the Servicio Interamericano de Cooperacion Agricola en Panama and taught at the Agricultural School of the University of Panama from 1961 to 1963. In 1967, he received the Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of California at Riverside. He then returned to the University of Panama, serving as Dean as well as Professor of Agronomy. In 1980, he joined the staff of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) as manager of the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, a nature preserve consisting of Barro Colorado Island and its surrounding peninsulas. While at STRI, he developed an experimental farm at Las Pavas on the Gigante Peninsula that would restore soils destroyed by cattle grazing and provide a comfortable income for small farmers. He retired from STRI in 1993.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9576, Gilberto Ocana Oral History Interview
Use Restriction
Restricted. Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission.

More Information

Notes

Oral Histories


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Ocana, Gilberto, 1931-2004 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Henson, Pamela M., interviewer Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Universidad de Panamá Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Barro Colorado Island Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ecole nationale d'agriculture d'Alger Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Servicio Interamericano de Cooperación Agrícola en Panamá Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
University of California, Riverside Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Conservation of natural resources Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tropical biology Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Agronomy Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sustainable agriculture Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barro Colorado Nature Monument (Panama) Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barro Colorado Island (Panama) Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Panama Place Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Transcripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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