Maureen Elizabeth Downey (May 1, 1921 – May 14, 2000) was an American zoologist who worked for three decades at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
[1][2][3][4] She had an early fascination with animal biology, bringing insect specimens to be identified at the National Museum of Natural History.
[1][2][3][4] Downey was an international authority on echinoderms, particularly sea stars, earning her the nickname "The Starfish Lady.
[1][3] She began her career in Washington, D.C., serving as a civil servant at the Central Intelligence Agency and later at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
She also authored two comprehensive catalogs, covering echinoids and ophiuroids found in major collections throughout North America, during her 30-year tenure at the museum.