Nationality American | Name Viola Shantz | |
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Born June 22, 1895 Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Occupation biologist
zoologist
mammalogist Died 1977, Washington, D.C., United States | ||
Viola Shelly Shantz (1895–1977) was an American biologist and zoologist. She worked for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 1918 to 1961, serving as a Biological Aide, Biologist and Systematic Zoologist. Stationed at the Smithsonian Institution throughout her career, she also served as the curator for the North American mammal collection in the National Museum of Natural History.
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Biography
Viola S. Shantz was born in 1895 in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania to parents John and Laura Shantz.
She died in May 1977 at the age of 82 in the District of Columbia.
Professional accomplishments
Shantz was one of the founding members of the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM), and was present at their inaugural meeting at the United States National Museum (now the National Museum of Natural History), in Washington, D.C. on April 3–4, 1919. Shantz served as treasurer for the organization for twenty-two consecutive years, from 1930 to 1952, and was the first woman to serve as the chair of the Local Committee for the annual meeting of the ASM in 1959.
She co-authored a comprehensive catalog of the mammal specimens in the collections of the United States National Museum, which was published in 1942.
Shantz received an award for distinguished service, presented to her by the Department of the Interior, 1962.