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 Tropical Research Institute by Jan Sapp chronicles the history of tropical research as pioneered by Smithsonian scientists and their colleagues in Panama. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI, ) is the only bureau of the Smithsonian Institution based outside of the United States, in Panama. It is dedicated to understanding the past, present and future of tropical ecosystems and their relevance to human welfare. STRI grew out of a small field station established in 1923 on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal Zone to become one of the world's leading tropical research organizations. STRI's facilities provide for long-term