鈥淭hese people are my friends and they’re my colleagues and they’re my inspiration,鈥� Flowe told a roomful of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Harrisonburg residents during a dedication ceremony of the mural on March 27. 鈥淚 may not know them on a personal level, but every time I see them on the wall of this building, I know that people recognize the work they鈥檝e done.鈥�

That feeling extends beyond just the students at 黑料正能量. Dr. Tara Kishbaugh, dean of faculty and student success, said that seeing the mural fills her with joy. 鈥淓very time I see it, it makes me happy,鈥� she told the crowd gathered for the ceremony at Suter Science Center 106.

The Inclusivity in Science Mural, completed in summer 2022, celebrates the scholarship and contributions of seven scientists whose identities as women, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), and/or queer individuals have historically been underrepresented in scientific spaces. The mural鈥檚 stylized portraits depict chemist Asima Chatterjee, mathematician Gladys West, mathematician Katherine Johnson, arachnologist Lauren Esposito, astrophysicist Nergis Mavalvala, eco-philosopher P谋nar Ate艧 Sinopoulos-Lloyd, and ADM (ret.) Rachel Levine.

鈥淸The mural] names the contributions that have too often gone unrecognized,鈥� said Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus in her remarks at the dedication ceremony. 鈥淎nd perhaps most importantly, it offers reflection and invitation to those who walk these halls every day, especially to students who may be asking quietly or aloud, 鈥業s there a place for me in this field?鈥欌�� 

鈥淭ogether, these figures and all of those represented remind us that excellence in science has never been limited to a single identity, even if recognition has been,鈥� Dycus added. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e affirming something today about 黑料正能量 itself: that we are a place that鈥檚 willing to name gaps and then do the work to address them, and that we believe representation is not symbolic alone鈥攊t is formative.鈥�

Interim President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus presents her remarks at a dedication ceremony for the Inclusivity in Science Mural.

Dr. Rachel Levine (left) and P谋nar Ate艧 Sinopoulos-Lloyd (right) pose next to their portraits on the mural.

Work on the mural began in spring 2022 and was funded by an Inclusive Excellence Grant made possible by the generous support of Jose Koshy 鈥�76 and Jean Koshy-Hertzler 鈥�79. Learn more about the process behind the project in our article from last month. Veronica Horst 鈥�23, Asha Landes Beck 鈥�22, Grace Harder 鈥�23, Molly Piwonka 鈥�23, Afton Rhodes-Lehman 鈥�24, and Jake Myers 鈥�22 are listed as co-leaders for various stages of the project

A dedication ceremony on March 27 honored the scientists represented on the mural, the artists who brought it to life, and 鈥渆very person in the arts and sciences who has had to push a little harder against systems that were not built with them in mind,鈥� said event organizer Dawn Neil, coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  

鈥淭his mural is both a celebration and a call to continue the work of building a truly inclusive community,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen more people belong in science, science belongs to all of us.鈥�

The ceremony included appearances by two special guests whose portraits are on the mural. Sinopoulos-Lloyd, who participated earlier that day in the second annual Mornings with the Mayor Convocation, gave a talk and contributed to a panel conversation. Levine, the former U.S. assistant secretary for health, chatted with 黑料正能量 News and also attended the event. Both Sinopoulos-Lloyd and Levine signed their names on their portraits as part of the dedication.

P谋nar Ate艧 Sinopoulos-Lloyd gives a talk during the mural dedication ceremony at the Suter Science Center on March 27.

Dr. Rachel Levine (left) and P谋nar Ate艧 Sinopoulos-Lloyd (right) sign their portraits on the mural.

Sinopoulos-Lloyd is an Indigiqueer wildlife tracker, writer, and guide whose work bridges Indigenous ecological knowledge, field-based science, multispecies studies, and poetic inquiry. 

In their talk, they recited poetry, shared photos of wildlife tracks鈥攊ncluding a rattlesnake, puma, and toad鈥攔ecounted their experiences following an elk herd, and discussed how their work connects science, art, and sustainability. They also spoke about the importance of representation. 

鈥淭his mural we鈥檙e honoring today is not just artwork,鈥� Sinopoulos-Lloyd said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a constellation. It represents scientists whose work has expanded what is possible, not only through curiosity, but through devotion, imagination, and care.鈥�

Third-year biochemistry major Dante Flowe shares their connection to the mural during the dedication ceremony at Suter Science Center 106 on March 27.

Afton Rhodes-Lehman 鈥�24, who helped design and paint the mural, speaks during a panel conversation (left). Veronica Horst 鈥�23 reflects on the mural (right) while P谋nar Ate艧 Sinopoulos-Lloyd looks on.

A panel conversation following the talk included several alumni who helped bring the mural from concept to creation. Landes Beck, Horst, Piwonka, and Rhodes-Lehman spoke about their roles in the project, the intertwined relationship of art and science, the importance of representation, and their reflections on what the mural means to them. Kishbaugh and Sinopoulos-Lloyd also joined the panel, along with Flowe, who served as a voice for current students. Senior Madelynn Hamm moderated the discussion.

Horst said they hope the mural continues to honor those who haven鈥檛 been recognized for their contributions. 鈥淥ne of the names on the mural that people are probably most familiar with is Katherine Johnson鈥檚, because of her story being told through the book and film Hidden Figures,鈥� Horst said. 鈥淚 think that made us realize how much we don鈥檛 know about how women of color and people from minority identities were involved in a lot of influential work. We don鈥檛 get to hear about it because it was overshadowed.鈥�

The program included a message from Jenny Burden, executive director of the Arts Council of the Valley, on the role that public art plays in shaping a healthy, thriving, and inclusive community. It also included remarks from Mavalvala, who is depicted on the mural but was unable to attend the ceremony. 

鈥淚 am honored to be included with so many wonderful luminaries,鈥� Neil said, reading a statement from the astrophysicist. 鈥淚nclusivity in the sciences is critical, and I鈥檓 proud that 黑料正能量 continues to strive toward this goal. Ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging strengthens our educational communities and strengthens science itself.鈥�

Watch a video recording of the ceremony below!