Albert Eide Parr

Albert Eide Parr ( born August 15, 1900 in Bergen, Norway, † July 17, 1991 in Wilder, Vermont ) was an American oceanographer, ichthyologist and museum director of Norwegian descent.

Life and work

From 1921 to 1925 Parr studied at the Royal University of Oslo. He traveled widely as a member of the Norwegian Merchant Navy and was under Professor Martin Cecilius August Brinkmann (1878-1940) zoological assistant in the Bergen Museum and fisheries research. In 1926 he took the U.S. citizenship and became a contributor to the New York Aquarium. In 1927, he took over a curator position in the Bingham Oceanographic Collection. In 1931 he joined the staff at the Peabody Museum of Natural History and during the 1930s he served as scientific director of the oceanographic exhibitions at Yale University. From 1937 to 1942 he was Director of the Marine Research Division and led expeditions to the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the adjacent Atlantic waters. In 1938 he became director of the Peabody Museum, and from 1942 to 1959 he was director of the American Museum of Natural History. After his resignation as director Parr worked as a senior scientist for the museum. He was appointed director emeritus in 1968. In 1980, he was the first winner of the Distinguished Service Medal of the American Museum of Natural History.

Parr has written numerous articles in the fields of oceanography and marine biology for scientific journals. He was the founder of the Sears Foundation of Marine Research Journal, former president of the American Association of Museums and a member of the United States National Commission of UNESCO.

Dedikationsnamen

After Parr different fish species have been named, including Eustomias parri (1930 by Regan & Trewavas ), Diaphus parri (1932 through Tåning ) Cetomimoides parri (1955 by Koefoed ) and Barathrites parri ( 1957 Nybelin ).