“There is no single clear-cut path to becoming a scientist. A scientist can come from any background. There is no cookie-cutter mold of what a scientist looks like. A scientist can look like you, or can look like me.” That's what science writer Allie Wilkinson wrote about her This Is What A Scientist Looks Like project, which she started in 2012 to challenge stereotypes.

The LSI's video and photos were inspired by her effort, by Fermilab's Who's the Scientist? — which asked seventh graders to draw and describe researchers before and after a visit — and by U-M President Mark Schlissel, who stresses that our dedication to academic excellence is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.