Working at Water's Edge: Life Sciences at American Marine Laboratories, 1880-1930
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Biology
field work
fisheries
jellyfish
Marine Biology
History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
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This dissertation traces the rise of marine-based life science in America between 1880 and 1930, and examines the malleable spaces and technologies that facilitated multifaceted approaches to marine investigation. I begin by establishing baseline spatial and technological requirements for scientific work at the shoreline during this period. In subsequent chapters, I analyze four episodes of highly disciplinary work performed in these spaces: taxonomy, embryology, physiology, and animal behavior. While historians have pointed to a balkanization of scientific disciplines during this period, including reliance on specialized technologies and spaces, this dissertation seeks to highlight the continuities of space and technique in marine science and sheds light on the impact of these commonalities on the development of a cohesive marine science over the remainder of the twentieth century.