This February, Meet the Women Transforming Science at the National Museum of Natural History

As the weather warms up and the days get longer this February, the National Museum of Natural History has a slew of events fit for natural history lovers of all ages. Here are a few to mark on your calendar.

Celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science with museum researchers
Feb. 11, 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. ET

UPDATE: Due to inclement weather, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science Symposium and other events at the National Museum of Natural History on February 11 will be postponed, and a new date is forthcoming.

Tackling some of the planet’s most pressing issues — including climate change and global health — requires all hands on deck. Which is why it is crucial to encourage more women to enter STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). For the past ten years, February 11th has served as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This special occasion highlights the critical role women and girls play across science and technology.

The museum is home to many women in science who work in fields ranging from anthropology to zoology and study everything from reptile evolution to the deep-sea creatures that clean the ocean floor. During this event, visitors will have the opportunity to meet several researchers throughout the museum’s exhibition halls and learn more about what they study.

If you can't make it to the museum, click here on February 11 between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to watch the inaugural International Day of Women and Girls in Science annual symposium, featuring Smithsonian scientists, their research and their career paths.

Fall in love with the ocean’s oddest couples on Valentine’s Day
Feb. 14, 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. ET

Due to its expansive size and myriad of toothy predators, the ocean may seem like a daunting place to live. But many marine creatures do not face these dark depths alone.

Take the deep-sea anglerfish, for example. Some of these fish mate for life, with the tiny male literally fusing to the body of the much larger female. Other species like corals must partner with photosynthetic algae to harvest nutrients. On shore, passionate penguins can present pebbles to their partners.

This Valentine’s Day, stop by the museum’s Sant Ocean Hall to learn more about the ocean’s oddest couples. Scientists from three of the museum’s research departments will be on hand to cover a wide-range of topics, including birds that keep aquatic mammals clean and unique shell-less mollusks that live on corals.

Discover how scientists use chemical clues to decipher ancient human diets 
Feb. 20, 11:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. ET

Early human relatives originated during a dynamic period in Earth’s history when environments and ecosystems around the world were changing. To determine how these changes impacted hominin populations, paleoanthropologists are utilizing advanced chemical techniques to shed light on ancient diets and climate conditions.

This cutting-edge research is only possible with advanced techniques, and few people know more about these methods than Smithsonian scientist Christine France, the manager of the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute’s Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometry Laboratory. Tune into this virtual conversation to learn how France and other researchers use carbon and nitrogen isotopes to reconstruct ancient diets and oxygen isotopes to reconstruct ancient habitats and environments.

This presentation is part of the ongoing Human Origins Today (HOT) Topic series and will be moderated by museum paleoanthropologist and educator, Briana Pobiner

Learn how white-tailed deer rebounded from the brink of extinction
Feb. 20, 1:00 to 3:00 P.M. ET

Today, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are seemingly everywhere. White-tailed deer are the most abundant species of deer in North America and are found across the continent — from the Atlantic coast to the Rockies and northern Canada through Central America.

But a century ago, these ubiquitous ungulates nearly went extinct. Ecological anthropologist Elic Weitzel, a postdoctoral researcher at the museum, has studied how human communities have interacted with white-tailed deer over the past few millennia. Weitzel will be on hand in the Kenneth E. Behring Family Hall of Mammals to talk with visitors about how Native Americans traditionally hunted deer, how deer hunting changed when Europeans arrived, and how deer populations recovered in the 20th century.

Learn about the ocean’s clean-up crew with an award-winning children’s author
Feb. 22, 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. ET

When ocean critters need their teeth cleaned, they head to “cleaning stations” on coral reefs. Here, tiny fish and crustaceans known as cleaner shrimp remove parasites and detritus off of larger fish like sharks and manta rays in exchange for a tasty meal.

This mutualistic relationship is explored in the book “Don’t Eat the Cleaners!” by celebrated children’s author and illustrator Susan Stockdale. Stockdale, who worked with museum scientists to research the book, will be on hand for multiple readings and a book signing in the Ocean Hall’s Explorer Theater. Museum educators will also be facilitating multiple hands-on stations throughout the exhibition.

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mother Tongue Film Festival with a slate of new films
Feb. 20-23 in Washington D.C.; Feb. 24 through March 1 online (Check website for details on screening times and locations)

For the past 10 years, the Smithsonian’s Mother Tongue Film Festival has celebrated cultural and linguistic diversity by showcasing films and filmmakers from around the world, highlighting the crucial role languages play in our daily lives. To commemorate this anniversary, the 2025 festival will feature ten days of free programming.

The museum’s historic Baird Auditorium will host several screenings of films and shorts that explore themes like redemption, restitution and duty. The museum will also host an event marking the 50th anniversary of the Human Studies Film Archive (HSFA) on February 21st at 1:00 P.M. The panel discussion will take place in the museum’s executive conference room and will be hosted by Joshua Bell, the curator of globalization and the co-founder of the Mother Tongue Film Festival.

The Mother Tongue Film Festival is a public program of Recovering Voices, a collaboration between the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of the American Indian, the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and the Asian Pacific American Center.

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Jack Tamisiea | | READ MORE

Jack Tamisiea is a Science Communications Specialist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. In addition to covering all things natural history for the museum's blog, Smithsonian Voices, he tracks media coverage and coordinates filming activities for the museum's Office of Communications and Public Affairs. Jack recently completed his masters in science writing at Johns Hopkins University and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Scientific American, National Geographic and other science-focused publications. In his free time, he loves exploring the outdoors with a sketchbook and camera. You can read more of Jack's work at https://jacktamisiea.com.