History of Tropical Biology Oral History Interviews, 1997

Object Details

Subject: Stern, William Louis 1926-; Dressler, Robert L. 1927-
interviewer: Christen, Catherine A (Catherine Ann)
Subject: National Museum of Natural History (U.S.); Association for Tropical Biology; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

As part of her research for her Smithsonian postdoctoral fellowship project, in 1997 Catherine A. Christen conducted oral history interviews with two orchid specialists who had conducted research at the neotropics. On July 1, 1997, she interviewed Robert L. Dressler (1927- ), curator, Missouri Botanical Garden. Dressler received the B.A. from the University of Southern California in 1951 and the Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1957. He was on the staff of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute from 1963 to 1987, when he was named a research associate. On July 2, 1997, Christen interviewed William Louis Stern (1926- ), professor of botany, University of Florida. Stern received the B.S. from Rutgers University in 1950, the M.S. in 1951 and the Ph.D. in 1954 from the University of Illinois. He was curator and then chair of the Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, from 1960 to 1967.; (1) Description in control file; (2) unprocessed.
Organization: (1) Audiotapes, 1.5 hours
Summary: These interviews of Robert L. Dressler and William Louis Stern, conducted by Catherine A. Christen, cover their involvement with the Association for Tropical Biology and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute during the 1960s.
Repository Loc.: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

1997

Restrictions & Rights: Restricted (Transcripts). Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Topic: Botany; Tropical biology; Professional associations; Science--History; Oral history; Interviews