![]() “I ended up being a rhino keeper,” Smith recalled. After months of living in her sister’s basement in Boston, waitressing at night and volunteering at Zoo New England during the day, Smith landed a part-time, temporary, minimum-wage position at the Dallas Zoo.įalling in love-with rhinos, oryx and bongo But even with a master’s degree, finding a full-time job at a zoo was difficult at best. Smith went on to Clemson, snagging an internship along the way at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, before getting her master’s degree in zoology in 1997. “I got interested in the whole science of population genetics, how we can manage these endangered species.” “I was fascinated with the idea that there are species on this planet that exist only because of zoos-that there were animals that were extinct in the wild but because zoos had them and bred them, they continued to exist, and could be reintroduced,” she explained. That internship gave Smith a whole new perspective on animals and conservation and what she could do to make a difference. “I always tell people that if they want to succeed to be nice and work hard but also to take chances because at that moment I took a chance and my whole life changed.” “I said, ‘I’d love to work with animals, how did you get your job?’ And they connected me with the head of their conservation and research program and he said, ‘You know what, I’m on my way to pick my summer intern and you took the initiative to call me so I’m going to interview you now,’” Smith recalled. She was all set for an internship with an ophthalmologist, when, on a whim, remembering her childhood experience of “meeting” the polar bears, she called the Pittsburgh Zoo. Sure, there were people who could do it, but it didn’t seem like a real career choice.”īy the time Smith was in college majoring in biology, she thought she was headed for a “sensible” career in medicine. “It was like saying you wanted to be a ballerina or an astronaut. ![]() “Where I grew up, the idea of working in a zoo was something you’d never think about,” Smith explained. Looking at these incredible, carnivorous marsupials and gliding mammals, I was obsessed, just blown away.”įamily visits to the Pittsburgh Zoo took Smith’s fascination with animals to a whole new level-sparking an interest in science and dreams much bigger than her small-town roots. “She would send us books from the places she visited, and when I was about seven, she sent this big color book on Australian wildlife. “My aunt was a stewardess, which I thought was such a glamorous profession because she got to travel all over the world,” Smith recalled. While cows and chickens lived on the farm across the road, more exotic animals had already captured Smith’s attention by elementary school. ![]() Smith grew up surrounded by the cornfields of Indiana, Pennsylvania. “My son happens to be a freshman at Maryland so I don’t know if it makes me a cool mom or not, but the fact that I was invited to come and speak at a graduation, it’s exciting for me and I think it might help my kids appreciate a little more the work that I do and the value that it has for the community.”Ĭornfields, cows and carnivorous marsupials In May, Smith will speak to graduate students and their families about her experiences as a Smithsonian director and a scientist at the University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences’ (CMNS) 2023 Graduate Commencement Ceremony. Overseeing the care of 2,700 animals, from armadillos to zebras, and more than 300 employees, Smith’s work with the zoo reflects a lifelong commitment to conservation and education. Today, she’s the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, one of the most popular visitor destinations in Washington, D.C., and a leader in global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction. ’10, behavior, ecology, evolution and systematics), that polar bear encounter was a harbinger of things to come. ![]() Click image to download hi-res version.įor Smith (Ph.D. “I loved seeing them, but I also wanted to know more about them, and there was part of me that wanted to take care of these animals.” Brandie Smith. I was like, ‘They’re so cool, but their fur is green, why is it green?’” she recalled. “I went on a trip with my family to the Pittsburgh Zoo, and I’ll never forget looking at the polar bears. ’10) brings her animal adventures to UMD as 2023 CMNS Graduate Commencement Ceremony speaker.īrandie Smith will always remember her first childhood encounter with a polar bear. National Zoo Director Brandie Smith (Ph.D.
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