Jan
05

SI research into deep-sea mysteries, galactic structure and the ‘Infinity of Nations’ recognized in 2011

Each day, Smithsonian scholars make valuable research contributions in the fields of art, history, science and culture. To honor this excellence in research, Secretary Wayne Clough has announced the recipients of the 2011 Secretary’s Research Prizes.

The prize winners are:

  • Kathleen Ash-Milby (National Museum of the American Indian) for the exhibition “HIDE: Skin as Material and Metaphor.” (2010)
  • Noel Broadbent (National Museum of Natural History) for Lapps and Labyrinths. Saami Prehistory, Colonization and Cultural Resilience. (2010)
  • Massumeh Farhad (Freer and Sackler Galleries) and Serpìl Bağci for the exhibition “Falnama: The Book of Omens” at the Sackler Gallery. (2009)
  • Vicki A. Funk (National Museum of Natural History), A. Susanna, T.F. Stuessy, and Randall J. Bayer, editors Systematics, Evolution, and Biogeography of Compositae. (2009)
  • Cécile R. Ganteaume (National Museum of the American Indian), editor of Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian. (2010)
  • G. David Johnson (National Museum of Natural History), J. R. Paxton, T.T. Sutton, T.P. Satoh, T. Sado, M. Nishida, and M. Miya for the article “Deep-sea mystery solved: astonishing larval transformations and extreme sexual dimorphism unite three fish families,” published in Biology Letters. (2009)
  • M.J. Reid (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), K.M. Menten, X.W. Zheng, A. Brunthaler, L. Moscadelli, Y. Xu, B. Zhang, M. Sato, M. Honma, T. Hirota, K. Hachisuka, Y.K. Choi, G.A. Moellenbrock and A. Bartkiewicz for the article “Trigonometric Parallaxes of Massive Star-Forming Regions. VI. Galactic Structure, Fundamental Parameters, and Noncircular Motions,” published in Astrophysical Journal. (2009)
  • John Winter (Freer and Sackler Galleries) is posthumously awarded a Secretary’s Research Prize for his book East Asian Paintings: Materials, Structures and Deterioration Mechanisms. (2008)

Each recipient will receive $2,000 in research funds to be placed in each winner’s research account. The Conservation and Scientific Research Department at the Freer and Sackler Galleries will receive Dr. Winter’s prize. The recipients will be celebrated at the Jan. 11 meeting of the Congress of Scholars. These scholarly achievements remind the world that the Smithsonian is a place where discoveries happen every day. Please join the Secretary in congratulating your colleagues for their outstanding work.


Posted: 5 January 2012
About the Author:

Alex di Giovanni is primarily responsible for "other duties as assigned" in the Office of Communications and External Affairs. She has been with the Smithsonian since 2006 and plans to be interred in the Smithson crypt.