History of Paleobiology Oral History Interviews, 2013

Introduction

The Smithsonian Institution Archives (SIA) 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 reminiscences and interviews recorded by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.

In 2013 the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a colloquium on the history of the Department.

Descriptive Entry

The History of Smithsonian Paleobiology Colloquium was organized by Diana E. Marsh, a graduate student from the University of British Columbia, while she was a Smithsonian predoctoral fellow. The colloquium consists of 2 hours of digital audio recording and no transcript.

Historical Note

The 50th anniversary of the Department of Paleobiology of the National Museum of Natural History was commemorated with a colloquium organized by Smithsonian predoctoral fellow Diana E. Marsh to document the department's history. Marsh also conducted oral history interviews with department staff to document the split of the Department of Geology into the Department of Paleobiology and Department of Mineral Sciences in 1963. The Marsh interviews will be accessioned at a later date.

On May 17, 2013, the "50th Anniversary Paleobiology Department Kick-off Celebration & Brown Bag Discussion on the History of the Fossil Halls" was held in the Cooper Room in the Department of Paleobiology. Speakers included Diana E. Marsh, predoctoral fellow; Mark Lay, volunteer; Hans-Dieter Sues, curator of Paleobiology; Porter M. Kier, former director, NMNH; Richard Bambach, affiliated staff in Paleobiology; Martin A. Buzas, curator of Paleobiology; William W. Fitzhugh, curator of Anthropology; Richard S. Fiske, former director, NMNH; Alan Cutler, research associate in Paleobiology; Francis M. Hueber, curator of Paleobiology; Kim Moeller, visual information specialist, NMNH; Scott L. Wing, curator of Paleobiology; and Matthew T. Carrano, research geologist in Paleobiology.