The Science Center Celebrates
Black History Month

During Black History Month, we are honored to celebrate the amazing and groundbreaking influences of notable Black scientists that left indelible marks on STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). As we continue our work and aspire to model practices and a culture that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion within our museum every day, we are celebrating throughout February by highlighting local Black STEM professionals and their work.

Upcoming onsite and virtual lecture:

Go ahead and hate your neighbor: What science can tell us about why we hate and how we can change
Mon., March 4
7–9 pm
Register for the free onsite and virtual lecture!

 

Tracy C. Baton, MA LCSW
Lead Clinician, Hugh Lane Wellness

About Tracy Baton

Tracy Baton (she/her) is a Black queer cis-female psychotherapist, community organizer, anthropologist, historian, and clinical social worker from Pittsburgh. She grew up in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Squirrel Hill neighborhoods and has asked questions about human rights since high school. Tracy attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelor’s in medical anthropology focusing on South Africa. In addition, she attended the University of Florida, where she received a Master’s in Medical Anthropology and a Master’s in African History before returning to Pittsburgh and earning her Master’s in Social Work. Among her many honors are the William J. Fulbright (IIE) Fellowship and the Linda S. Vance Award for Historical Writing on Women. She did her field research on women’s labor in rural South Africa. Upon her return to the US, she won two “Best of Pittsburgh” awards for peaceful First Amendment protest as leader of the Women’s March – Pittsburgh. She worked as an anti-racism organizer for Mennonite Central Committee and as a private psychotherapist. She is the lead clinician at Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, working with LGBTQ+ youth and families. She loves gardening and antiques. She is also delighted to be the mother of three daughters and the nana of two grandchildren.

 

Patriece Thompson
Turner Construction Company –Senior Leadership, Director, Community and Citizenship

About Patriece Thompson

Patriece serves as the Director, Community and Citizenship with Turner Construction. In her role, Patriece provides access for Underrepresented Business Enterprises and Minority, Women, Veteran, and LGBTQ Business Enterprises within the construction industry. She also has a focus on four active pillars within Turner Construction: youth engagement, workforce development, economic development, and outreach services. Patriece’s mission in life is to provide access, upward mobility, equity, and inclusion for all people. Patriece has also achieved success working within business, economic and government industries. She has moderated and worked with federal and local community leaders and state stakeholders with the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce under Allegheny Conference on Development.

Patriece graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Sports Management and Marketing. She then furthered her education, graduating from Point Park University with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in management. Patriece is also a TALI (The Advanced Leadership Institute with the CMU Tepper Business School), Leadership Pittsburgh graduate class XXVIII 2020. She is also a commissioner for the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, Vice Chair for LifeWorks Western PA, the Westmorland Museum of Art, Reimagine Reentry, and Three Rivers Business Alliance (3RBA). Patriece is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and a member of the National Society Leadership and Success Rotary Club of Downtown Pittsburgh. She has a passion for making Pittsburgh a welcoming and culturally diverse region. Patriece enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is a die-hard Steelers fan!

“Black people have made impactful contributions to shape industries and our world. We need more Dr. Nola Hylton’s and Alan Emtage’s to keep making contributions to change the world. It’s important we pay homage and shed light on these contributions for the future.” – Patriece Thompson

 

Dr. Stephen Paul Canton
Sterile Vision, Inc – CEO and Co-Founder
UPMC Department of Orthopedic Surgery – Resident Physician

About Dr. Stephen Paul Canton:

Stephen was awarded a Bachelor of Engineering/Bioengineering with a Minor in Mechanical Engineering Design from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013 and a Master of Science in Kinesiology from the Louisiana State University in 2015. He earned a joint Doctor of Medicine and Master of Clinical Research (MD-MSc) degree with a concentration in Bioengineering, Biotechnology, and Innovation from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2021. At Louisiana State University, Stephen conducted research that involved the integration of biomechanics and neuroscience to further the understanding of how the central nervous system controls human locomotion. His thesis work culminated in a publication called “Active and Passive Contributions to Arm Swing: Implications of the Restriction of Pelvis Motion During Human Locomotion.”

After completing his master’s degree at LSU, Stephen worked as a biomedical engineer for the Kessler Foundation in West Orange, NJ from 2015-2016 where he performed research to improve the mobility of individuals with a spinal cord injury. Between Stephen’s third and fourth year of medical school, he was accepted as a scholar in Clinical Scientist Training Program (CSTP) in which he received a full tuition scholarship for an MSc degree in Clinical Research. At the end of his medical school tenure, Stephen was the recipient of the Bert and Sally O’Malley Award for Outstanding Medical Student Research, Harold Henderson Sankey MD Award for Excellence in Orthopedic Surgery, and Antwon Rose II Award for Excellence in Community Engagement. He also launched an early-stage startup company, Sterile Vision, Inc., that uses computer vision and machine learning to optimize the surgical tool tray management. In 2018, Stephen had the honor of being named the Future City 2018 Alumnus of the Year by the international Future City Competition. Stephen is now a third-year Orthopedic Surgery resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His clinical interests are orthopedic trauma and surgical critical care. He currently has research interests surrounding biomechanics, orthopedic trauma, trauma systems and outcomes, and augmented reality applications for intraoperative navigation and operating room efficiency.

“As one of my mentors always says, ‘Respect the past by embracing our future.’ Nothing great in this world was accomplished in solitude or by solitary opinion. If we are to make this world a better place, we know that it necessitates allowance of diversity of opinion and a diversity of voices. This cannot be taught in a textbook or via courses; it will stem from diverse representation.” – Dr. Stephen Paul Canton

 

Stacey Hamilton
Essential Utilities – Human Resources Business Partner

About Stacey Hamilton:

Stacey Hamilton serves as the Human Resources Business Partner for Essential Utilities where the core values of the organization are rooted in integrity, respect, and the pursuit of excellence. Stacey’s professional career started in human resources in 2016.Stacey was offered the opportunity to work at a local water authority in the city of Pittsburgh, serving in the Human Resources department. The nature of the HR department had a limited number of contributors which allowed her to participate in all the different functions of HR. This exposure strengthened her professionally and solidified her understanding of the employee life cycle from start to finish. This same opportunity reinforced Stacey’s love for the utility industry, as well as seeing all the hard work that goes into providing safe drinking water to the communities of Pittsburgh. She could not help but get behind all the heart and hard work that goes into service to the community. Stacey was given the opportunity to serve as the Human Resources Business Partner at Essential Utilities. Essential Utilities owns Peoples Natural Gas, Delta Gas, and Aqua Water. With Essential Utilities, Stacey enjoys working with and supporting corporate leaders on people management and HR related issues. It brings her joy to still work in utilities and to provide support to the functions that she serves.

Stacey graduated from Geneva College with a BS degree in Human Resources and a Culinary Arts degree from the former Pennsylvania Culinary Institute of Pittsburgh. Stacey really enjoys the behind-the-scenes work of human resources (and really enjoys food!). Stacey lives in the Brookline community with her husband and two kids. She loves to cook, eat, exercise, spend time with family, and toss around a volleyball in the Brookline Park with her husband.

“Black history is important 365 days a year because our stories are full of life, resilience, empowerment, and beauty. Learning about black history helps to remove barriers, builds confidence and inspires innovation and creativity that challenge standards. Diverse representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is important. It is important for people to see that we, too, are driven, smart, capable and we strive for excellence. We have the ability to lead, invent, and engineer meaningful projects, programs, and processes that will have a positive effect on our community and world overall.” – Stacey Hamilton

Image courtesy of Joshua Franzos

The Hill District Home of Daisy Lampkin, a Famous Suffragist

Daisy Lampkin, a dynamic Pittsburgh woman who was a leader in the civil rights and women’s suffrage movements and who lived on Webster Avenue in Pittsburgh for most of her adult life is the Miniature Railroad & Village honoree in 2020. Mrs. Lampkin started her public career in 1912 and her priorities were organizing efforts to end discrimination against and oppression of all African Americans and specifically Black women. She was active in many civil, political, community, and church-affiliated groups and blazed the trail for women in the National Republican Party and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. During her tenure as a stockholder and executive at the Pittsburgh Courier newspaper, she led it to become the most widely distributed Black publication in the nation. Mrs. Lampkin also led a fundraising effort in Allegheny County to raise $2 million in war bonds to support the United States during WWII. A model of the Lampkin’s three-story home in the Hill District — which served as her headquarters for teas, meetings, and strategic planning —and a figure in her likeness are now on display in the Miniature Railroad. She made an indelible mark on the future of Black Americans and American history, and the Science Center is proud to recognize her legacy in this way.

Image courtesy of Joshua Franzos

Pittsburgh Courier Building

The Pittsburgh Courier, published in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, had a national and international importance far beyond its home in the city’s “Little Harlem” neighborhood. From 1910 until his death in 1940, Robert Lee Vann served as editor and owner of the noted newspaper. He brought aboard many talented staff to achieve his dream of a successful Black newspaper in Pittsburgh, and its circulation skyrocketed. A crusading weekly that advocated for racial equality, the Courier achieved a circulation of 400,000 by 1947. This building was later demolished, and the model had to be reconstructed from views in old photographs to add this story to the experience of the Miniature Railroad & Village^®.

Image courtesy of Joshua Franzos

The LeMoyne House

The LeMoyne House is a two-story sandstone structure built in 1812 by Dr. F. Julius LeMoyne in Washington, PA, about 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. Though many additions and changes have been made to the building, the replica is based on its original design and features the distinctive rooftop garden where Dr. LeMoyne grew medicinal herbs and raised honeybees. Not only was he a successful physician, Dr. LeMoyne and his family were very active in the Underground Railroad, and his house served as the epicenter of antislavery activity in southwestern Pennsylvania from the 1830s through the abolition of slavery.

Crawford Grill

In addition to the world-class jazz that became its claim to fame, Crawford Grill was also equal parts town hall, boardroom, and bank. Crawford Grill opened in the early 1930s under Gus Greenlee, a money lender and numbers runner who also turned the Pittsburgh Crawfords into a winning Negro League baseball team. The restaurant had three floors, the second with a glass-topped bar and a revolving stage for musicians playing the famous mirrored upright piano. Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay dubbed the Grill the “crossroads of the world” for its many headliners, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billy Eckstine, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and countless others, who often showed up at the Crawford Grill for a visit and usually a jam session after performances in prestigious downtown theaters.

Ebenezer Baptist Church

When the Ebenezer Baptist Church burned down in the Hill District in 2004, it sent shockwaves through the community. Ebenezer Baptist is the oldest Black Baptist congregation in Pittsburgh and the first to own a church building—its origins can be traced back to 1875. Ebenezer Baptist Church stood as a pillar for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement in the United States. In 1932, the church hosted the National Urban League Conference. The Urban League was founded in New York City in 1910 to help Black migrants from rural areas adjust to city life, but over the years it has expanded its focus to include a wide array of economic and social issues facing the Black community. Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jesse Jackson both gave speeches at the church.

Two firefighters lost their lives when the belltower collapsed as the crew fought the blaze. To honor those firefighters, the Miniature Railroad staff constructed the model’s belltower with scorched wood from the original structure. The model also houses a small time capsule with fire fighter patches and remembrances from the congregation and community.

During Black History Month, we are honored to celebrate the amazing and groundbreaking influences of notable Black scientists that left indelible marks on STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). As we continue our work and aspire to model practices and a culture that advance equity, diversity, and inclusion within our museum every day, we are celebrating throughout February by highlighting local Black STEM professionals and their work.

Upcoming onsite and virtual lecture:

Go ahead and hate your neighbor: What science can tell us about why we hate and how we can change
Mon., March 4
7–9 pm
Register for the free onsite and virtual lecture!

Tracy C. Baton, MA LCSW
Lead Clinician, Hugh Lane Wellness

About Tracy Baton

Tracy Baton (she/her) is a Black queer cis-female psychotherapist, community organizer, anthropologist, historian, and clinical social worker from Pittsburgh. She grew up in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Squirrel Hill neighborhoods and has asked questions about human rights since high school. Tracy attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelor’s in medical anthropology focusing on South Africa. In addition, she attended the University of Florida, where she received a Master’s in Medical Anthropology and a Master’s in African History before returning to Pittsburgh and earning her Master’s in Social Work. Among her many honors are the William J. Fulbright (IIE) Fellowship and the Linda S. Vance Award for Historical Writing on Women. She did her field research on women’s labor in rural South Africa. Upon her return to the US, she won two “Best of Pittsburgh” awards for peaceful First Amendment protest as leader of the Women’s March – Pittsburgh. She worked as an anti-racism organizer for Mennonite Central Committee and as a private psychotherapist. She is the lead clinician at Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, working with LGBTQ+ youth and families. She loves gardening and antiques. She is also delighted to be the mother of three daughters and the nana of two grandchildren.

Patriece Thompson
Turner Construction Company –Senior Leadership, Director, Community and Citizenship

About Patriece Thompson

Patriece serves as the Director, Community and Citizenship with Turner Construction. In her role, Patriece provides access for Underrepresented Business Enterprises and Minority, Women, Veteran, and LGBTQ Business Enterprises within the construction industry. She also has a focus on four active pillars within Turner Construction: youth engagement, workforce development, economic development, and outreach services. Patriece’s mission in life is to provide access, upward mobility, equity, and inclusion for all people. Patriece has also achieved success working within business, economic and government industries. She has moderated and worked with federal and local community leaders and state stakeholders with the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce under Allegheny Conference on Development.

Patriece graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Sports Management and Marketing. She then furthered her education, graduating from Point Park University with a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in management. Patriece is also a TALI (The Advanced Leadership Institute with the CMU Tepper Business School), Leadership Pittsburgh graduate class XXVIII 2020. She is also a commissioner for the Governor’s Advisory Commission on African American Affairs, Vice Chair for LifeWorks Western PA, the Westmorland Museum of Art, Reimagine Reentry, and Three Rivers Business Alliance (3RBA). Patriece is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and a member of the National Society Leadership and Success Rotary Club of Downtown Pittsburgh. She has a passion for making Pittsburgh a welcoming and culturally diverse region. Patriece enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is a die-hard Steelers fan!

“Black people have made impactful contributions to shape industries and our world. We need more Dr. Nola Hylton’s and Alan Emtage’s to keep making contributions to change the world. It’s important we pay homage and shed light on these contributions for the future.” – Patriece Thompson

Dr. Stephen Paul Canton
Sterile Vision, Inc – CEO and Co-Founder
UPMC Department of Orthopedic Surgery – Resident Physician

About Dr. Stephen Paul Canton:

Stephen was awarded a Bachelor of Engineering/Bioengineering with a Minor in Mechanical Engineering Design from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013 and a Master of Science in Kinesiology from the Louisiana State University in 2015. He earned a joint Doctor of Medicine and Master of Clinical Research (MD-MSc) degree with a concentration in Bioengineering, Biotechnology, and Innovation from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2021. At Louisiana State University, Stephen conducted research that involved the integration of biomechanics and neuroscience to further the understanding of how the central nervous system controls human locomotion. His thesis work culminated in a publication called “Active and Passive Contributions to Arm Swing: Implications of the Restriction of Pelvis Motion During Human Locomotion.”

After completing his master’s degree at LSU, Stephen worked as a biomedical engineer for the Kessler Foundation in West Orange, NJ from 2015-2016 where he performed research to improve the mobility of individuals with a spinal cord injury. Between Stephen’s third and fourth year of medical school, he was accepted as a scholar in Clinical Scientist Training Program (CSTP) in which he received a full tuition scholarship for an MSc degree in Clinical Research. At the end of his medical school tenure, Stephen was the recipient of the Bert and Sally O’Malley Award for Outstanding Medical Student Research, Harold Henderson Sankey MD Award for Excellence in Orthopedic Surgery, and Antwon Rose II Award for Excellence in Community Engagement. He also launched an early-stage startup company, Sterile Vision, Inc., that uses computer vision and machine learning to optimize the surgical tool tray management. In 2018, Stephen had the honor of being named the Future City 2018 Alumnus of the Year by the international Future City Competition. Stephen is now a third-year Orthopedic Surgery resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His clinical interests are orthopedic trauma and surgical critical care. He currently has research interests surrounding biomechanics, orthopedic trauma, trauma systems and outcomes, and augmented reality applications for intraoperative navigation and operating room efficiency.

“As one of my mentors always says, ‘Respect the past by embracing our future.’ Nothing great in this world was accomplished in solitude or by solitary opinion. If we are to make this world a better place, we know that it necessitates allowance of diversity of opinion and a diversity of voices. This cannot be taught in a textbook or via courses; it will stem from diverse representation.” – Dr. Stephen Paul Canton

Stacey Hamilton
Essential Utilities – Human Resources Business Partner

About Stacey Hamilton:

Stacey Hamilton serves as the Human Resources Business Partner for Essential Utilities where the core values of the organization are rooted in integrity, respect, and the pursuit of excellence. Stacey’s professional career started in human resources in 2016.Stacey was offered the opportunity to work at a local water authority in the city of Pittsburgh, serving in the Human Resources department. The nature of the HR department had a limited number of contributors which allowed her to participate in all the different functions of HR. This exposure strengthened her professionally and solidified her understanding of the employee life cycle from start to finish. This same opportunity reinforced Stacey’s love for the utility industry, as well as seeing all the hard work that goes into providing safe drinking water to the communities of Pittsburgh. She could not help but get behind all the heart and hard work that goes into service to the community. Stacey was given the opportunity to serve as the Human Resources Business Partner at Essential Utilities. Essential Utilities owns Peoples Natural Gas, Delta Gas, and Aqua Water. With Essential Utilities, Stacey enjoys working with and supporting corporate leaders on people management and HR related issues. It brings her joy to still work in utilities and to provide support to the functions that she serves.

Stacey graduated from Geneva College with a BS degree in Human Resources and a Culinary Arts degree from the former Pennsylvania Culinary Institute of Pittsburgh. Stacey really enjoys the behind-the-scenes work of human resources (and really enjoys food!). Stacey lives in the Brookline community with her husband and two kids. She loves to cook, eat, exercise, spend time with family, and toss around a volleyball in the Brookline Park with her husband.

“Black history is important 365 days a year because our stories are full of life, resilience, empowerment, and beauty. Learning about black history helps to remove barriers, builds confidence and inspires innovation and creativity that challenge standards. Diverse representation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is important. It is important for people to see that we, too, are driven, smart, capable and we strive for excellence. We have the ability to lead, invent, and engineer meaningful projects, programs, and processes that will have a positive effect on our community and world overall.” – Stacey Hamilton

Image courtesy of Joshua Franzos

The Hill District Home of Daisy Lampkin, a Famous Suffragist

Daisy Lampkin, a dynamic Pittsburgh woman who was a leader in the civil rights and women’s suffrage movements and who lived on Webster Avenue in Pittsburgh for most of her adult life is the Miniature Railroad & Village honoree in 2020. Mrs. Lampkin started her public career in 1912 and her priorities were organizing efforts to end discrimination against and oppression of all African Americans and specifically Black women. She was active in many civil, political, community, and church-affiliated groups and blazed the trail for women in the National Republican Party and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. During her tenure as a stockholder and executive at the Pittsburgh Courier newspaper, she led it to become the most widely distributed Black publication in the nation. Mrs. Lampkin also led a fundraising effort in Allegheny County to raise $2 million in war bonds to support the United States during WWII. A model of the Lampkin’s three-story home in the Hill District — which served as her headquarters for teas, meetings, and strategic planning —and a figure in her likeness are now on display in the Miniature Railroad. She made an indelible mark on the future of Black Americans and American history, and the Science Center is proud to recognize her legacy in this way.

Image courtesy of Joshua Franzos

Pittsburgh Courier Building

The Pittsburgh Courier, published in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, had a national and international importance far beyond its home in the city’s “Little Harlem” neighborhood. From 1910 until his death in 1940, Robert Lee Vann served as editor and owner of the noted newspaper. He brought aboard many talented staff to achieve his dream of a successful Black newspaper in Pittsburgh, and its circulation skyrocketed. A crusading weekly that advocated for racial equality, the Courier achieved a circulation of 400,000 by 1947. This building was later demolished, and the model had to be reconstructed from views in old photographs to add this story to the experience of the Miniature Railroad & Village^®.

Image courtesy of Joshua Franzos

The LeMoyne House

The LeMoyne House is a two-story sandstone structure built in 1812 by Dr. F. Julius LeMoyne in Washington, PA, about 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. Though many additions and changes have been made to the building, the replica is based on its original design and features the distinctive rooftop garden where Dr. LeMoyne grew medicinal herbs and raised honeybees. Not only was he a successful physician, Dr. LeMoyne and his family were very active in the Underground Railroad, and his house served as the epicenter of antislavery activity in southwestern Pennsylvania from the 1830s through the abolition of slavery.

Crawford Grill

In addition to the world-class jazz that became its claim to fame, Crawford Grill was also equal parts town hall, boardroom, and bank. Crawford Grill opened in the early 1930s under Gus Greenlee, a money lender and numbers runner who also turned the Pittsburgh Crawfords into a winning Negro League baseball team. The restaurant had three floors, the second with a glass-topped bar and a revolving stage for musicians playing the famous mirrored upright piano. Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay dubbed the Grill the “crossroads of the world” for its many headliners, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billy Eckstine, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and countless others, who often showed up at the Crawford Grill for a visit and usually a jam session after performances in prestigious downtown theaters.

Ebenezer Baptist Church

When the Ebenezer Baptist Church burned down in the Hill District in 2004, it sent shockwaves through the community. Ebenezer Baptist is the oldest Black Baptist congregation in Pittsburgh and the first to own a church building—its origins can be traced back to 1875. Ebenezer Baptist Church stood as a pillar for the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement in the United States. In 1932, the church hosted the National Urban League Conference. The Urban League was founded in New York City in 1910 to help Black migrants from rural areas adjust to city life, but over the years it has expanded its focus to include a wide array of economic and social issues facing the Black community. Civil Rights leaders Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jesse Jackson both gave speeches at the church.

Two firefighters lost their lives when the belltower collapsed as the crew fought the blaze. To honor those firefighters, the Miniature Railroad staff constructed the model’s belltower with scorched wood from the original structure. The model also houses a small time capsule with fire fighter patches and remembrances from the congregation and community.