Robert McCormick Adams
| Robert McCormick Adams Jr. | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 9th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution | |
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In office 1984–1994 |
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| Preceded by | S. Dillon Ripley |
| Succeeded by | I. Michael Heyman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 23, 1926 Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Ruth Skinner Adams |
| Education |
University of Chicago (BA, MA, PhD) |
| Known for | Research in Iraq Anthropology Archaeology |
| Awards | Gold Medal Award |
Robert McCormick Adams Jr. (born July 23, 1926) is a U.S. anthropologist and was Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 1984 to 1994. He has worked in both the Near East and Mesoamerica. In scholarly circles, he is best known for his research in Iraq.
Born in Chicago, he received his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1957, where he was also employed as a member of the faculty. He was director of the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago in 1962-68 and 1981-83. He served as the provost of the University of Chicago from 1982-1984. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of California, San Diego.
Adams served as the ninth secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. from 1984 to 1994. He was installed as Smithsonian Secretary on September 17, 1984, becoming the head of an Institution with thirteen museums, a National Zoo, and scientific and cultural research facilities in nine states and the Republic of Panama. As the successor to S. Dillon Ripley, Adams sought to prepare the Institution for the 21st century, focus on scholarship, increase public programs, and emphasize a broader representation and involvement of diverse ethnic and cultural communities in the Smithsonian and its programs. Adams oversaw construction of the Quadrangle, a building project that brought together two museums and many disparate offices into a single structure, but he also sounded the alarm to the US Congress about the state of the Institution's aging infrastructure and began the systematic renovation of existing facilities. These “bricks and mortar” projects included renovation of the Freer Gallery of Art, the construction of the Mathias Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and the Earl S. Tupper Research and Conference Center at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
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