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`What Holds The Earth Together': Agnes Chase And American Agrostology

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Abstract

Geison's model of a research school is appliedto the case of Agnes Chase (1869–1963),agrostologist at the Bureau of Plant Industry,United States Department of Agriculture, andcurator, U.S. National Herbarium, SmithsonianInstitution. Chase developed a geographicallydispersed research school in systematicagrostology across the Americas in the firsthalf of the twentieth century. Despite hergender-based lack of institutional power, Chaseused her scientific expertise, mentoringskills, and relationships based on women'sgroups to develop a cohesive school of grassspecialists focused on her research program tocollect, observe, describe, identify, andclassify the grasses of the Americas. Geison'smodel is extended to encompass geographicallydispersed schools led by a non-university basedmentor without institutional power.

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  1. Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, DC, 20560-0414, USA

    Pamela M. Henson

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Henson, P.M. `What Holds The Earth Together': Agnes Chase And American Agrostology. Journal of the History of Biology 36, 437–460 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:HIST.0000004568.11609.2d

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