Jonathan Damery
Former Curatorial Assistant
Education
BS Horticulture/Biology, Illinois State University
Since the first plant accessions went into the ground in 1872, the Arnold Arboretum has been a dynamic treasure trove of the world’s botanical riches. As a curatorial assistant, I work with archival records to ensure the Arboretum’s entire suite of information about its plant collections—both living and historic—is digitally accessible for researchers, staff, and visitors.
I first came to the Arboretum in 2009 to participate in the Isabella Welles Hunnewell Internship Program and returned the following year as a curatorial fellow. During that experience, I worked with other curatorial staff to complete the annual plant inventory and helped collect voucher specimens. I also carried out independent projects including a review of the hickory collection (Carya spp.) and the verification of rose species (Rosa spp.) during the renovation of the Bradley Rosaceous Collection.
In my undergraduate studies, I became especially interested in plant diversity and floristics. Now as a student of the New England flora, I enjoy trekking over the hills and dales with my camera and a well-worn copy of Gleason and Cronquist.