From working in the Amazon to teaching at Berkeley, Lúcia G. Lohmann has dedicated her career to studying and preserving biodiversity worldwide. The botanist and conservationist will take the helm as president and director of the Missouri Botanical Garden next year. For Lohmann, it’s an especially meaningful undertaking. Not only is she the first woman to hold the position, but it’s also a homecoming as she attended graduate school at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the garden.
where i come from …
I was born and raised in Brazil. It’s no wonder that I became interested in botany. Brazil is home to one of the largest numbers of plant species in the world. Since early childhood, I’ve loved spending time outside and have always been fascinated by plants. In high school, I got the chance to travel with researchers in biodiversity, and that experience opened my eyes to the potential of botany as a career.
what plants can teach us …
The interactions between plants and people really have shaped our society. Plants provide so much of what we need—from medicine and food to clothing and building materials. Understanding them and their relationship with other organisms on our planet is crucial. The health of the world depends on the connection between plants and people.
my st. louis connection …
I have such fond memories of my time as a graduate student at UMSL. I was 21 at the time, and I moved to the area completely on my own. The community was incredibly welcoming. I loved all of the cultural activities and parks, like the zoo and art and history museums. The botanical garden was one of my favorites, of course. When I was homesick, I would go to the Climatron to spend time with the tropical plants and walk around to see what was blooming each day. I left St. Louis nearly 20 years ago, and I’m incredibly excited to be coming back.
as the garden’s first female president …
It’s an important responsibility. Women as leaders should be the norm, not the exception. I grew up in a family of academics, and my grandmother and her sisters were professors at a time when that was not common. In many ways, I feel like I’m following my family’s tradition of leadership in education.
my plans for mobot …
I have lots of ideas, and I’m looking forward to connecting with both the garden’s staff and supporters to collaborate about new avenues we can explore together. My work is centered in biodiversity, so I’m also excited about future research opportunities. I’ve been thinking about new creative educational programming and how we can continue to enrich the lives of St. Louisans through botany. Strong institutions like the Missouri Botanical Garden have an important social and environmental responsibility. The work we do doesn’t just affect St. Louis; there is a global impact.
Photo: Nathan Kwarta
