Waldo L. Schmitt

Waldo LaSalle Schmitt (June 25, 1887 – August 5, 1977) was an American biologist born in Washington, D.C. He received his Ph.D. from George Washington University in 1922. In 1948, he received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Southern California. Schmitt's primary field of zoological investigation was carcinology, with special emphasis on the decapod crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and so on). His bibliography consists of more than seventy titles.[2]

Waldo L. Schmitt
Schmitt in 1965
Born(1887-06-25)June 25, 1887
DiedAugust 5, 1977(1977-08-05) (aged 90)
Alma materGeorge Washington University
Spouse(s)Alvina Stumm
Scientific career
Fieldscarcinology
InstitutionsUnited States National Museum, Bureau of Plant Industry

Background

  • He was married to Alvina Stumm.[2]
  • Schmitt was an Aide in Economic Botany for the United States Department of Agriculture (1907–1910)
  • Appointed Scientific Aide in the Division of Marine Invertebrates of the United States National Museum
  • Studied Crustacea with Mary Jane Rathbun
  • Served on the staff of the United States Bureau of Fisheries as Scientific Assistant
  • Naturalist aboard the Albatross (1911–1914)
  • Assistant Curator at the United States National Museum as in the Division of Marine Invertebrates (1915–1920)
  • Instructor of Zoology at George Washington University (1917)
  • Named Curator of the Division of Marine Invertebrates (1920–1943)
  • Head Curator of the Department of Biology (1943)
  • Head Curator of Zoology (1943–1957)
  • Honorary Research Associate and continued his association with the Smithsonian Institution until his death on 5 August 1977.

Biological expeditions

Invertebrates at 85 feet, Turtle Rock, Antarctica. Photo from Schmitt's Antarctic expedition, 1962-63

Participation in Scientific Societies

Lobster lunch aboard the research vessel Mureva, with dancers from Bora Bora. Photo from Schmitt's Smithsonian-Bredin Expedition, 1956.
  • Founding member of the Society of Systematic Zoology and served as president in 1948.
  • President of the Washington Academy of Sciences in 1947.
  • Trustee of the Bear's Bluff Laboratories,
  • Trustee of the International Oceanographic Foundation
  • Trustee of the Serological Museum of Rutgers University.

Legacy

Camp Schmitt

Further reading

  • Richard E. Blackwelder (1979). The Zest for Life, or Waldo Had a Pretty Good Run: The Life of Waldo LaSalle Schmitt. Lawrence, Kansas: The Allen Press, Inc.
  • John Sherwood (1977-01-11). "Uncle Waldo Still Hears the Call of Crustaceans". The Washington Star.

References

  1. Fenner A. Chace, Jr. (1978). "Waldo LaSalle Schmitt, 25 June 1887 – 5 August 1977". Crustaceana. 34 (1): 83–90. doi:10.1163/156854078x00583. JSTOR 20103251.
  2. David E. Lanar. "Review of the Life of Waldo LaSalle Schmitt, Father of Waldo Ernest Schmitt". bsa-troop33.net. Troop 33, Takoma Park. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  3. "Takoma Park South Neighborhood Park". Montgomery Parks. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  4. "Waldo's Wilds" (PDF). Takoma Voice. 2007-09-07. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-08-21. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  5. Carrie Arnold (August 19, 2013). "Where's Waldo? Off the Pacific Coast". Weird & Wild, National Geographic. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
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