Find out how childhood interests can lead to careers in science
The Changing Face of Science: Lynika Strozier
Engage with the captivating stories of women and people of color in science and find inspiration for your own exploration. Discover how diverse perspectives, identities, and backgrounds uniquely contribute to scientific advancement.
Exhibition Summary
Included with General Admission
Closed Jun 25, 2023
All ages
Alert
Science needs more people of color and women in its ranks.
The first exhibition of this series honored Lynika Strozier, who was a Black woman, a Chicagoan, a person with a learning disability, an educator, and a former scientist at the Field Museum. But to her colleagues, friends, and family she was also a mentor, a light, and a force for joy.
The Changing Face of Science exhibition series highlights the work of scientists and science educators who are women and/or people of color, along with their passion for advancing knowledge of life on Earth.
The Changing Face of Science: Lynika Strozier was open August 26, 2022–June 25, 2023
Learn more about Lynika's life and times at the Field Museum.
Image slideshow
Gallery
Dr. Matt von Konrat is pictured here with Lynika behind him. “Science isn’t conducted in isolation: it’s all about sharing your work in the hopes of collaborating with fellow scientists. And Lynika was special, because she was a scientist that could collaborate—and become friends— with anyone.” -Dr. Matt von Konrat
When it was suggested that Lynika work on birds for her thesis, she was skeptical. She never worked with birds before. But that didn’t stop her—she asked questions and ran ideas by me all the time.” —Dr. Sushma Reddy, Curator of Birds at the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minnesota, Field Museum Research Associate, and Lynika’s mentor
“As a Latina woman working in a predominantly white institution and field, Lynika’s presence did wonders to make me feel welcome. She was a great friend, and without her friendship, I wouldn’t be doing great science.” —Isabel Distefano, Lab Technician and Lynika’s colleague
“Science isn’t done in a vacuum—it’s all about the work you can accomplish as a team. Sometimes teamwork is figuring out what went wrong with an experiment, and sometimes it’s watching a movie together or going to concerts.” — Kevin Feldheim, Lab Manager and Lynika’s colleague
“Lynika taught me the ins and outs of collecting DNA samples. She told me what to do and then said ‘Here you go—you do it.’ Even when I didn’t think I could do something, Lynika did.” —Heaven Wade, former research assistant at the Field Museum, PhD student, and one of Lynika’s mentees.
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Dr. Matt von Konrat is pictured here with Lynika behind him. “Science isn’t conducted in isolation: it’s all about sharing your work in the hopes of collaborating with fellow scientists. And Lynika was special, because she was a scientist that could collaborate—and become friends— with anyone.” -Dr. Matt von Konrat
Photographer(s):919039361464473
Acknowledgments
This exhibition was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant award #MA-249085-OMS-21.
