UBC Undergraduate Research

The UBC Herbarium : an institutional history Godwin, Nicole

Abstract

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Herbarium was created by John Davidson in 1912 and he saw the expansion of the institution until he retired in 1948. Since then, little has been documented about its history involving the individuals who have played important roles in its development. The Directors of the UBC Herbarium aligned with the Head of the Botany Department after John Davidson retired, and before Gerald Straley was appointed in 1992; because of this, many individuals were seen largely as figureheads and it is the curatorial staff, technicians, and collection managers who have been essential for the institution’s operation and growth. The computerization process beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s was a major project that brought a welcomed advancement and ease, as well as difficulty and frustration. This paper will set the stage for further research and begins to fill the gap in the institution’s history.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International