Smithsonian Institute

Invertebrate Zoology Collection

July 2011

Hosted by Dr. Stephen Cairns of the Smithsonian's Invertebrate Zoology Department, we collected historical samples of corals from around the world and over the past 150 years for analysis. It was during this visit that we became interested in the Marshall Island Nuclear testing and the impact of the testing on the marine environment, especially the corals.

Ethan and NilceEthan Robertson and Nilce Alvarez
(Whitman 2013)

 

Before heading upstairs to the Invertebrate Collection to work, we took advantage of our "Visiting Scientist" badges and visited the Fossil Hall exhibit before the museum officially opened. Ethan and Nilce are standing in front of a large Crinoid at the front of the exhibit hall.

 
When looking for a specific specimen in the Fungia genus, we pulled out many beautiful samples. Some of these were mounted and some labeled with handwritten labels from original expeditions in the 1800s.

 

 

ARC with the Fungia

Allison Calhoun
(Principal Investigator)