Secretary's Journals
Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough shares stories from his journeys around the world, learning more about what Smithsonian researchers are studying in the field
McMurdo Station - Antarctica
Day 1: A Stopover in New Zealand
As the first Smithsonian secretary to set foot on Antarctica, Secretary Clough prepares for his trip from a research center in Christchurch
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 2: Arriving at the Spectacular Antarctic
Secretary Clough lands on a barren continent intertwined with Smithsonian history, prepared to discover the research being done
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 3: A Day at the South Pole
Flying over the paths trod by explorers before him, Secretary Clough arrives at the South Pole eager to meet the Smithsonian scientists working there
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 4: Touring By Helicopter
Secretary Clough visits the driest place on the planet, Ernest Shackleton’s hut, penguins, whales and more on his final day in Antarctica
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Wyoming - Bighorn Basin
Day 1: A Geological Trip Back in Time
Smithsonian Secretary Clough flies to Wyoming to learn about a period of intense global warming that occurred 55 million years ago
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 2: Uncovering Earth’s History in the Bighorn Basin
Secretary Clough tours the different Smithsonian excavation sites and discovers some prehistoric fossils while there
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Kenya - Mpala Research Centre
Day 1: Seeing Kenya from the Sky
Despite many travel delays, Smithsonian Secretary Clough arrives in Kenya ready to study the African wildlife at the Mpala Ranch
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 2: What Can Researchers Do To Save the Savannah?
Between water shortages, erosion, and human population growth, the ecosystem and the animals of Kenya face serious risks
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 5: Bird Watching and Animal Tracking
Living among the African wildlife, Smithsonian researchers are busy studying the symbiotic relationships between flora and fauna
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Chile - Las Campanas Observatory
Day 1: A Stop in Santiago
Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough explores Santiago before heading to the Las Campanas Observatory in the Chilean Andes
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 2: Stargazing in the Andes Mountains
Up high among wild burros and llamas, a Smithsonian astronomer observes and studies the millions of stars in the sky
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 3: The Excitement of Astronomy
A daytime tour of the Magellan facility and its surrounding hillside is topped off by a perfect evening of stargazing
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Day 4: Peak Conditions for a New Telescope
Secretary Clough scopes out the site for the Giant Magellan Telescope and bids goodbye to Las Campanas
By G. Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
