Earlier this year, we showed you a proposed LEGO set featuring women scientists. Now it has been announced that the set will be on shelves this August!
The set was designed by Stockholm scientist Ellen Kooijman (Alatariel Elensar), who explained her design process on her blog.
As a geochemist I started with designs close to my own profession, a geologist and a chemist, and then expanded the series to include other sciences and other professions. Support rates in the first weeks after posting were slow, but at some point it started to pick up speed and many people left positive comments on the project, which encouraged me to expand and develop the project. I designed 12 little vignettes in total that consist of a minifigure with a 6x4 base plate and a corresponding setting to enhance the building experience and stimulate creativity. When designing the vignettes I tried to add things that would also make them attractive to people not necessarily interested in female figures. Especially the dinosaur skeleton turned out to be a real winner that is popular with a variety of people ranging from teenage boys, to parents, to AFOLs, etc. It is easy to imagine a different setting where the skeleton may come alive chasing the minifig or it could stimulate more building, for example a museum where it can be displayed.
The approved set will have three scientists and be called “Research Institute.” It will be somewhat different from the photograph of the submitted project shown. Kooijman designed several other vignettes of science happening, which you can see on her submission page. Maybe it will eventually turn into a series! -via mental_floss