Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce The Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce is a research center that specializes in Floridian marine ecosystems and lifeforms. The research is focused mostly on the Indian River Lagoon and also on the offshore waters of Florida's central and east coast. The first director of the station was Mary Rice, who was also instrumental in its founding. The station is a part of the National Museum of Natural History, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution of Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to be a field station which will draw scientists and students from
Smithsonian Contributions and Studies Series Smithsonian Contributions and Studies Series The Smithsonian Contributions and Studies Series is a collection of serial periodical publications produced by the Smithsonian Institution, detailing advances in various scientific and societal fields to which the Smithsonian Institution has made contributions. The Smithsonian Institution began publishing consolidated compilations of quarto-sized papers in 1848, under the name "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge". In 1862 octavo-sized papers called "Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections" were added, followed by the monographic "Bulletin of the United States National Museum" in 1875, and the compiled "Proceedings of the United States National Museum" in 1878. "Annual Reports" of Smithsonian Institution administrative and