National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Search this
National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Assistant Director for Oceanography Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of Oceanography and Limnology Search this
Type:
Mixed archival materials
Date:
1962
1962-1992
Category:
Agency History
Notes:
This is an agency history. It does not describe actual records. The Smithsonian Institution Archives uses these histories as brief accounts of the origin, development, and functions of an office or administrative unit to set that unit in its historical context. To find information on record holdings, please double-click the highlighted field "Creator/Author", which will open on a brief view of relevant records.
Guide to the Smithsonian Archives, 1996
The Smithsonian Oceanographic Sorting Center (SOSC) was created to assist the international oceanographic effort by processing biological and geological specimens for scientists throughout the world. Other objectives of SOSC included environmental analyses of biological specimens and support services for field activities of the Smithsonian Institution and other organizations.
The Sorting Center was established in 1962 as a unit of the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), reporting to the Assistant Director for Oceanography. In 1966, administrative responsibility for the Center was transferred to the newly created Office of Oceanography and Limnology. When that office was abolished in June 1974, the Sorting Center again became an administrative unit of NMNH. SOSC was terminated in 1992. Directors of SOSC included Herman Adair Fehlmann, 1962-1973; Betty J. Landrum, 1973-1978; Frank D. Ferrari, 1978-1981; Leslie William Knapp, 1981-1988; and Ernani G. Meñez, 1988-1992.
For a history of the larger creating unit, refer to "Forms part of" above.
Repository Loc.:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520
