Mary Sears (July 18, 1905 – September 2, 1997) was a Commander in the
United States Naval Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...
and an
oceanographer
Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics ...
at the
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, acronym pronounced ) is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of marine science and engineering.
Established in 1930 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, it i ...
(WHOI).
Early life and education
Mary Sears was born on July 18, 1905, to Leslie () and Edmund Sears in
Wayland, Massachusetts
Wayland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town was founded in 1638, and incorporated in 1780 and was originally part of neighboring Sudbury (incorporated 1639). As of the 2020 United States Census, the population wa ...
.
She was the oldest child, and had a younger brother and sister. In 1911, Leslie died from
polio
Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
when she was 28-years-old. After his wife's death, Edmund moved to Europe and left his children in the care of relatives and
nannies
A nanny is a person who provides child care. Typically, this care is given within the children's family setting. Throughout history, nannies were usually servants in large households and reported directly to the lady of the house. Today, modern ...
. During this time, one of their caretakers was their mother's friend, Sophie Bennett, who was a teacher at
The Winsor School
The Winsor School is a 5–12 private, college-preparatory day school for girls in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1886.
It competes in the Eastern Independent League and is featured on the Boston Women's Heritage Tra ...
in
Boston, Massachusetts. Sears enrolled in the Winsor school in 1915 as a fifth-grade student. Later that year, Edmund returned from Europe, and began dating Bennett, and married her several years later. They had three children together. Sears graduated from The Winsor School in 1923, and enrolled in
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and functioned as the female coordinate institution for the all-male Harvard College. Considered founded in 1879, it was one of the Seven Sisters colleges and he ...
in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...
, where Bennett was an alumna. She originally intended to major in
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
, but after taking a biology course taught by
George Howard Parker
George Howard Parker (December 23, 1864 – March 26, 1955) was an American zoology, zoologist. He was a professor at Harvard University, Harvard, and investigated the anatomy and physiology of sense organs and animal reactions.
Biography
George ...
decided to change her course of study. In 1927, she graduated
magna cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some So ...
with a degree in
zoology
Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...
and was a member of the
Phi Beta Kappa
The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...
honor society. She remained at Radcliffe for graduate school, and earned a master's degree in 1929 and a Ph.D. in zoology in 1933.
While a graduate student, she worked at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
with
Henry Bigelow, a founder and the first Director of the
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, acronym pronounced ) is a private, nonprofit research and higher education facility dedicated to the study of marine science and engineering.
Established in 1930 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, it i ...
(WHOI).
Career
Postdoctoral research
After completing her doctorate, Sears studied plankton at WHOI during the summers, and taught throughout the school year. She was a faculty member at
Wellesley College
Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial g ...
from 1938 to 1943, and also worked at the
Museum of Comparative Zoology
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
. During this time, she also served as a research assistant at Harvard from 1933 to 1949 and as a tutor at Radcliffe from 1934 to 1940.
Sears was present for many of the early discussions organizing WHOI as it acquired its first ships, the 142-foot
ketch
A ketch is a two- masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast (or aft-mast), and whose mizzen mast is stepped forward of the rudder post. The mizzen mast stepped forward of the rudder post is what distinguishes the ketch fr ...
''
Atlantis
Atlantis ( grc, Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, , island of Atlas (mythology), Atlas) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato's works ''Timaeus (dialogue), Timaeus'' and ''Critias (dialogue), Critias'' ...
'' and 40-foot coastal vessel ''Asterias'', and its first laboratory, later named the Bigelow Laboratory.
Sears also researched the annual fluctuations of marine zooplankton. With Bigelow, Sears published papers on the salinity and the zooplankton of the area from
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mont ...
to
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
, and worked on zooplankton further north in the
Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northeast ...
.
In August 1941, she went to the
Chincha Islands
The Chincha Islands () are a group of three small islands off the southwest coast of Peru, to which they belong, near the town of Pisco. Since pre-Incan times they were of interest for their extensive guano deposits, but the supplies were mostly ...
in
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
as a Faculty Fellow for Wellesley College's Committee on Inter-American Cultural and Artistic Relations.
Sears was asked to come to Peru to study the plankton to determine if their reduced numbers led to birds dying,
which caused a disruption to the
guano
Guano (Spanish from qu, wanu) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. G ...
industry on the islands.
Despite the risk of working on a ship during World War II, Sears elected to make the trip to advance her career, as time at sea was considered necessary for oceanographers, but women were not permitted to work on US research vessels. Sears was at sea during the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, and remained on the ship for three more months until she returned to Woods in Hole in March 1942.
World War II
In late 1942, Sears applied to the
WAVES
Waves most often refers to:
*Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass.
* Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water.
Waves may also refer to:
Music
* Waves (ban ...
, an all-woman component of the
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve (USNR), known as the United States Naval Reserve from 1915 to 2005, is the Reserve Component (RC) of the United States Navy. Members of the Navy Reserve, called Reservists, are categorized as being in either the Sele ...
. She was denied due to a prior diagnosis of
arthritis
Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
in her fingers.
Roger Revelle
Roger Randall Dougan Revelle (March 7, 1909 – July 15, 1991) was a scientist and scholar who was instrumental in the formative years of the University of California, San Diego and was among the early scientists to study anthropogenic global ...
, a
naval lieutenant
LieutenantThe pronunciation of ''lieutenant'' is generally split between , , generally in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries, and , , generally associated with the United States. See lieutenant. (abbreviated Lt, LT (U.S. ...
from
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (sometimes referred to as SIO, Scripps Oceanography, or Scripps) in San Diego, California, US founded in 1903, is one of the oldest and largest centers for oceanography, ocean and Earth science research ...
assigned to the
US Navy Hydrographic Office, met with
Columbus O'Donnell Iselin, the director of WHOI, to ask for oceanographers to assist the US Navy. Iselin volunteered Sears, and Revelle coordinated for her to be commissioned in the
WAVES
Waves most often refers to:
*Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass.
* Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water.
Waves may also refer to:
Music
* Waves (ban ...
.
Following a letter of support from
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...
George S. Bryan, the head of the Hydrographic Office, Sears received a medical waiver for her arthritis and was accepted into the WAVES in January 1943.
She attended Naval Midshipmen's School at
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States.
...
, and was commissioned as a
lieutenant (junior grade)
Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies.
United States
Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), is ...
on April 7, 1943. Sears was assigned to the Hydrographic Office in
Suitland, Maryland
Suitland is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, approximately one mile (1.6 km) southeast of Washington, D.C. As of the 2020 census, its population was 25,839. Prio ...
, and began working to produce oceanographic charts ahead of planned
amphibious assault
Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted ...
s in
Pacific Theater
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
.
Within one month of her arrival, she published research on sea drift, to better help the Navy find crew and debris in the ocean after their ships sank or airplanes crashed. Sears led an oceanographic team that included
Fenner A. Chace Jr., Mary Grier, and Dora Henry.
The
Battle of Tarawa
The Battle of Tarawa was fought on 20–23 November 1943 between the United States and Japan at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands, and was part of Operation Galvanic, the U.S. invasion of the Gilberts. Nearly 6,400 Japanese, Koreans, an ...
in November 1943 began with an amphibious assault that left
US Marines
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
exposed to enemy fire on a coral reef due to misjudging of the tides. As a result, the US Navy relied more on its oceanographers when planning its landings. Sears led an oceanographic team that prepared reports for potential landing areas to be distributed to field commanders. Much of the information they received were from Japanese scientific journals. In 1944, Sears raised concerns over the potential hazards of an amphibious landing in
Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...
; low tides over the surrounding
coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Co ...
were predicted for around the invasion, which would hinder the assault. Additionally, the temperature gradient in the ocean water made sonar detection difficult around the islands. Due to operational necessity, the Marines still conducted a landing on
Peleliu
Peleliu (or Beliliou) is an island in the island nation of Palau. Peleliu, along with two small islands to its northeast, forms one of the sixteen states of Palau. The island is notable as the location of the Battle of Peleliu in World War II.
H ...
, an island in
Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...
, despite the concerns raised by the Hydrographic Department.
In 1944, Sears and her team began preparing reports for the planned invasion of Taiwan. She was also often called to produces urgent reports on tides for planned invasions; the secrecy of the invasions meant that Sears was the only oceanographer entrusted to produce these reports. In October 1944, the plans to invade Taiwan were cancelled, and the Hydrographic Office began preparing reports for an invasion of
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
. In 1945, Sears began preparing reports for the
Battle of Okinawa
The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...
. The Hydrographic Office had previously created a report on the
Ryuku Islands
The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonagun ...
, of which
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
is the largest island, but could not find much information. American forces captured Japanese charts, which were transferred to the Hydrographic Office for analysis. Sears was able to narrow the list of potential
beachhead
A beachhead is a temporary line created when a military unit reaches a landing beach by sea and begins to defend the area as other reinforcements arrive. Once a large enough unit is assembled, the invading force can begin advancing inland. The ...
s, and highlighted the dangers of Okinawa being surrounded by a coral reef and experiencing high waves. Sears conducted further research, and reported than landing in western Okinawa would be ideal to avoid dangerous waves. During this time, she also worked with
Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood
Charles Andrews Lockwood (May 6, 1890 – June 6, 1967) was a vice-admiral and flag officer of the United States Navy. He is known in submarine history as the commander of ComSubPac, Submarine Force Pacific Fleet during World War II. He devised ...
, the
commander of the Pacific submarine fleet, to allow the
submarines
A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely o ...
to safely operate.
On October 19, 1945, it was announced that the Hydrographic Office would be expanded the Oceanographic Division, which Sears would lead. She was promoted to
lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
, and worked as a Navy oceanographer until she left active duty on June 4, 1946. On May 20, 1946,
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...
Chester Nimitz
Chester William Nimitz (; February 24, 1885 – February 20, 1966) was a fleet admiral in the United States Navy. He played a major role in the naval history of World War II as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, and Commander in C ...
issued a commendation for Sears, thanking her for the benefit of having oceanographic data.
Post-World War II
After she left active duty, Sears spent a year in Copenhagen where she researched
siphonophores
Siphonophorae (from Greek ''siphōn'' 'tube' + ''pherein'' 'to bear') is an order within Hydrozoa, which is a class of marine organisms within the phylum Cnidaria. According to the World Register of Marine Species, the order contains 175 specie ...
.
She held a
Rask-Orsted Foundation grant and received the
Johannes Schmidt medal in 1946 for her many contributions to marine research. In 1947, she returned to Woods Hole, and transferred to the Naval Volunteer Reserves where she was the only woman in the Woods Hole unit and was elected officer in charge of the unit in 1950. She retired as a
Commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1963.
When Sears returned to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, she was named a Senior Scientist in the Biology Department, a position she held until her retirement in 1970. Sears remained active at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution until late in life, working with Joan Hulburt from an office in Bigelow Laboratory. From 1962 to 1973 she compiled and edited the Institution's Annual Report and Summary of Investigations. She also compiled the Collected Reprints of the Institution from 1959 to 1975, and compiled the Oceanographic Index, 1971–1976.
She was named a Scientist Emeritus in 1978.
Publications
Since women were not permitted to go to sea until many years later, Sears made her mark in marine science by editing the journals and books in which oceanographers published their results. In 1953, she was a founding editor of ''Deep-Sea Research'', serving as editor from 1953 to 1974. She also helped establish ''Progress in Oceanography'' and served as its first editor-in-chief.
Sears edited several books that are considered milestones on documenting the history of marine science. ''Oceanography'', considered by many as the benchmark against which future research was evaluated, was published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1961. The ''Science'' article reviewing the book noted "...
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
know of no other volume that so well defines oceanography, its purpose, opportunities, and requirements".
''Oceanography: The Past'' was co-edited with
Daniel Merriman
Daniel Merriman (December 3, 1838 – September 18, 1912) was an American Congregational minister and art collector. With his wife, Helen Bigelow Merriman, he was a cofounder of the Worcester Art Museum and served as its first president.
Biograph ...
as part of the Third International Congress on the History of Oceanography, held at Woods Hole in September 1980 in celebration of the Institution's fiftieth anniversary. Long-time friend and colleague
Roger Revelle
Roger Randall Dougan Revelle (March 7, 1909 – July 15, 1991) was a scientist and scholar who was instrumental in the formative years of the University of California, San Diego and was among the early scientists to study anthropogenic global ...
described Sears in a paper he presented at that Congress as "the conscience of oceanography who initiated and maintained an uncompromising standard of excellence in scientific publications about the oceans.... She played a major role in creating the present world community of oceanographers from numerous countries and almost as many specialties."
Awards and honors
![Leila Sears christens the USNS Mary Sears](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Leila_Sears_christens_the_USNS_Mary_Sears.jpg)
Sears was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1960 and a Member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...
in 1964.
On the occasion of her 80th birthday in 1985, ''Deep-Sea Research'' dedicated an issue to Sears, noting that she "has probably played a greater role in the advancement of oceanographic studies than any other woman." She received an alumnae honorary degree in 1962 from
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a private liberal arts women's college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the historic Seven Sisters colleges, a group of elite historically women's colleges in the Northeastern United States.
...
and an honorary doctorate in 1974 from
Southeastern Massachusetts University
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth or UMassD) is a public research university in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It is the southernmost campus of the University of Massachusetts system. Formerly Southeastern Massachusetts U ...
(now University of Massachusetts Dartmouth).
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and functioned as the female coordinate institution for the all-male Harvard College. Considered founded in 1879, it was one of the Seven Sisters colleges and he ...
honored Sears in 1992 with its Alumnae Recognition Award, given to "women whose lives and spirits exemplify the value of a liberal arts education." In 1996 the Falmouth Business and Professional Women's Organization presented its "Woman of the Year" award to Mary for her many professional and community contributions.
Commander Sears' military awards include the
American Campaign Medal
The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...
,
World War II Victory Medal
The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945.
The Wor ...
,
Naval Reserve Medal
The Naval Reserve Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was created by order of Secretary of the Navy Claude A. Swanson on 12 September 1938. The medal was first issued in 1938 and was an active award until 1958. On 12 September ...
and the
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
The Armed Forces Reserve Medal (AFRM) is a service medal of the United States Armed Forces that has existed since 1950. The medal recognizes service performed by members of the reserve components and is awarded to both officers and enlisted perso ...
.
In October 2000, the U.S. Navy recognized her service by launching a 300-foot research vessel named in her honor.
The Oceanographic Survey Ship
USNS ''Mary Sears'' is one of seven research vessels in operation today. Sears was also recognized in 1996 at the retirement celebration for Research Vessel ''Atlantis II''
which she had christened as sponsor.
There are two awards named after Sears.
The Oceanography Society
The Oceanography Society (TOS) is a nonprofit society founded in 1988, based in Rockville, Maryland, U.S. and incorporated in the District of Columbia. It is an oceanographical organization that aims to promote communication among oceanographe ...
presents th
Mary Sears Medalin recognition of extraordinary accomplishments in biological oceanography, marine biology, or marine ecology. In 1994, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution established th
Mary Sears Women Pioneers in Oceanography Award
Professional associations
Mary Sears chaired and helped to establish the First International Congress on Oceanography, held at the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
in New York in 1959. She also served on the Joint Committee on Oceanography of the International Council of Scientific Unions from 1958 to 1960.
She served as a Trustee of the Marine Biological Laboratory from 1956 to 1962 and was a Trustee Emeritus from 1976 until her death in 1997. She also was a Life Member of the Corporation of the Bermuda Biological Station.
Philanthropic activities
Beyond her roles in international marine science, Mary Sears served the community and Town of Falmouth. She was a member of the Falmouth School Committee
from 1952 to 1973, and was elected chair in 1961 a position she served until 1969. She also served on the School Committee for the Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational technical School District from 1963 to 1965, and as Area 3 Chairman, Third Vice President and a member of the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees during the 1960s. She served on and was chairman of the committee operating the Children's School of Science in Woods Hole, and for 35 years was a Falmouth Town Meeting Member. She was also active as a member of the Republican Town Committee and a member of the Falmouth Citizens Committee for Open Spaces.
References
Further reading
*Williams, Kathleen Broome. ''Improbable Warriors: Women Scientists and the U.S. Navy in World War II''.
Naval Institute Press
The United States Naval Institute (USNI) is a private non-profit military association that offers independent, nonpartisan forums for debate of national security issues. In addition to publishing magazines and books, the Naval Institute holds se ...
, Annapolis, Maryland, 2001, 280 pages. . Williams' book focuses on the lives and contributions of four notable women: Mary Sears (1905–1997);
Florence van Straten (1913–1992);
Grace Murray Hopper
Grace Brewster Hopper (; December 9, 1906 – January 1, 1992) was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy rear admiral. One of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer, she was a pioneer of com ...
(1906–1992);
Mina Spiegel Rees
Mina Spiegel Rees (August 2, 1902 – October 25, 1997) was an American mathematician. She was the first female President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1971) and head of the mathematics department of the Office of N ...
(1902–1997).
*
Lepore, Jill. ''The Secret History Of Wonder Woman''. Knopf, 2014. .
*Musemeche, Catherine.
Mary Sears’ Pioneering Ocean Research Saved Countless Lives in WWII. Smithsonian Magazine
''Smithsonian'' is the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The first issue was published in 1970.
History
The history of ''Smithsonian'' began when Edward K. Thompson, the retired editor of ''Life'' maga ...
, July / August 2022.
External links
About Mary SearsWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Mary Sears Woman Pioneer in Oceanography AwardNAVY TO LAUNCH OCEANOGRAPHIC SURVEY SHIP MARY SEARS (T-AGS 65)US DoD News Release October 18, 2000
*Obituaries
**
**
National Women's History Museum biography
*
''This article contains information created by the U.S. Federal Government and is in the ''public domain''.''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sears, Mary
1905 births
1997 deaths
Female United States Navy officers
American oceanographers
Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
People from Wayland, Massachusetts
Radcliffe College alumni
Wellesley College faculty
Members of the Society of Woman Geographers
WAVES personnel
American women academics
Military personnel from Massachusetts