Sherry Anne Reed (February 2, 1959 – December 16, 2019) was an American marine biologist. She served at the Smithsonian Marine Station at Link Port for over 36 years as a research specialist, station manager, and dive safety officer.[1] Reed is known as the first female scientific diving officer in the United States.[2]
Early life
editReed was born in 1959 in Bourne, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.[3] She attended Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where she studied marine science.[3]
In 1982, Reed graduated from Wheaton College in Massachusetts with a bachelor's degree in biology and started her first marine science career at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, where she assisted with curating the octopus and mollusk collections.[1]
Professional career
editIn 1983, Reed joined the Smithsonian Marine Station at Link Port in Florida as a marine biological research assistant.[3] During her studies of the local marine organisms and ecosystem, two new marine species were found and named after her—Smithsoniarhynches sherryreedae, a new species of flatworm found in Indian River Lagoon,[1][4] and Celleporaria sherryae, a new species of bryozoan found in the Gulf of Mexico.[1][5]
Reed also served for many years as a dive safety officer for the Smithsonian Marine Station and the Caribbean Coral Research Ecosystem Program until she was promoted to station manager in 2015.[2][6] She had supervised thousands of scientific research dives throughout Florida, Belize and the Caribbean.[1] Over the years, she saved a dozen people and various animals from drowning, and a FPL lineman from electrocution.[7] Besides a passionate scientific diver and officer, Reed was a licensed Coast Guard captain and a certified instructor of PADI scuba, CPR, first aid, and accident management.[7]
Reed was a member of various professional organizations. She served on the Smithsonian's Diving Control Board and the Board of Directors of both the American Academy of Underwater Sciences.[2] She became part of the Board of Directors of the Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) in 2002[1] and served as the secretary (2006–2011) and the vice-president (2011–2014).[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "In Memoriam: Sherry Anne Reed, 'the heart of SMS'". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ a b c d "2002 Sherry Reed". Women Divers Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ a b c "Sherry Anne Reed". TC Palm. 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ "Smithsoniarhynches Sherryreedae". Smithsonian Institution.
- ^ "Celleporaria sherryae Winston, 2005". WoRMS – World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ "Sherry Reed | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History". naturalhistory.si.edu. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ a b "Sherry Anne Reed Obituary". Yates Funeral Home. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
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