Celebrating Black Innovators Through History
Join us for activations across the museum and online in celebration of Black History Month where you’ll be able to connect STEAM principles with real-world challenges while honoring the achievements of trailblazing Black scientists, creators, and inventors! From events featuring local Black scientists to new digital learning articles on Black history to activities in our labs, check out our full schedule of things to do at OMSI in February.
Museum Activities
Teen Tech Center
Visual Storytelling
Participants will learn about notable Black scientists, reflect on their stories, and create comics telling a story of their own.
Science Playground
The Science Playground will feature weekly storytimes featuring books by Black authors.
Natural Sciences and Life Labs
Floodplain Restoration Exploration
Explore how natural floodplains contribute to resilience and environmental equity. Using models, discover the role of restoration projects like West Lents in mitigating flooding, supporting wildlife, and addressing climate challenges, and how the work of Dr. Warren Washington has influenced the future of climate modeling.
Blood Breakdown: The Science of Saving Lives
Explore the legacy of Dr. Charles R. Drew and his pioneering work in blood preservation and transfusion. Learn about the components of blood and how modern healthcare benefits from these advancements.
Chemistry Lab
The chemistry lab will feature hands-on experiments that highlight Dasia Taylor, a high school student named one of the 40 finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search for her invention of color-changing sutures to detect infection.
Physics Lab Takeover with Project LEDO
Project LEDO will present four learning activities in OMSI’s physics lab where visitors will be able to connect STEAM principles with real-world challenges while honoring the achievements of trailblazing Black women in science.
Illustrations by: Andy Orrego
Breaking Barriers in Space Physics
Learn about Dr. Fancisca Nneka Okeke, who researched the ionosphere and the equatorial electrojet and was the first female physics professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Activity: Simulate radio waves in the ionosphere with bouncy balls and acrylic sheets.
Revolutionizing Cataract Surgery
Learn about Dr. Patricia Bath, who invented the Laserphaco Probe, restored vision for millions, and was the first African American woman with a medical patent.
Activity: Explore optics and the effects of cataracts with lenses.
Transforming Communications with Physics
Learn about Dr. Marian R. Croak, the inventor of VoIP with over 200 telecommunications patents and tech leadership.
Activity: Encode and decode messages using light pulses (fiber optics).
Unraveling the Mysteries of Blazars
Learn about Dr. Jedidiah Isler, who researched supermassive black holes, advocated for diversity in STEAM, and was Yale’s first Black woman PhD in Astrophysics.
Activity: Design spinning discs to explore black hole accretion disks.
Digital Learning Articles
In celebration of Black History Month, OMSI’s online platform will be highlighting contributions of the African Diaspora in the arts and sciences. First, OMSI will invite you to explore Afrofuturism, a cultural movement that envisions Black people in science fiction. Our second article will feature 4 Black Women redefining our understanding of physics, in collaboration with Project LEDO.
Afrofuturism
Coming February 10
Black Women
Redefining
Physics
Coming February 24