She spent a large portion of her career participating in efforts to inform the public about the environment in regards to synthetic chemicals such as pesticides.
She also worked as chief of the Bureau of Reclamation's graphics sections and drew diagrams for the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History.
[2] After graduating from the University of Iowa, Shirley Briggs briefly taught art at North Dakota State College.
Recommended by fellow alum of the University of Iowa, Katherine Howe,[5] she became an illustrator for the Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore.
[1] In late 1945, Briggs moved on to work as an information specialist and illustrator for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of the Interior, where she provided artwork and writing for a number of publications.
[2] Beginning in 1954, Briggs was also responsible for the design and creation of several of the dioramas present in the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History.
[2] Upon helping found the Rachel Carson Council (then called the Rachel Carson Trust for the Living Environment) in 1965,[6] she worked with other members to write the book A Basic Guide to Pesticides: Their Characteristics and Hazards, which was a large study about synthetic chemicals used for various purposes, such as agriculture and manufacturing.
[2] In her time as executive director of the Council she would edit several follow up publications concerning the life and work of Rachel Carson, including "Silent Spring: The View from 1987."
[3] Both women were involved in the Audubon Naturalist Society, and they frequently traveled together on expeditions organized by the ANS and socialized through parties and get-togethers.