Lillith Streett, a senior majoring in both Biology with a specialization in Neuroscience and History, receives the 2025 Harrison D. Stalker Award from the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
The Harrison D. Stalker Award is given annually to a graduating biology major whose undergraduate career combines outstanding scientific scholarship with significant contributions in the arts and humanities. The award honors the late Harrison D. Stalker, a renowned evolutionary biologist and world-class photographer.
Streett completed research in the Shaw Lab investigating the role of sleep in cognition using Drosophila melanogaster resulting in her thesis The Tipping Point of Sleep: Investigating Fragmentation, Recovery, and Cognition in Drosophila Melanogaster.
In his nomination letter, Professor of Neuroscience Paul Shaw wrote, “In lab meetings, Lillith has often reflected on how our own perspectives shape the kinds of questions we ask and the answers we are able to see. This philosophical stance, a stance that embraces curiosity, questions assumptions, and values ambiguity, has guided both her science and her art. Her anatomical sculptures made from Barbie dolls exemplify this perfectly. They are playful but also provocative, drawing on ancient texts, archival research, and a critical eye toward the history of medicine. In doing so, she challenges the default narratives that have long shaped how bodies—particularly marginalized bodies—are represented in science and medicine.”
Streett says, “Winning this award is a powerful reminder that the humanities and sciences create the most impact when they’re not kept in separate vacuum chambers. Throughout my time as a double major in Neuroscience and History, I’ve often heard, ‘Oh, that’s a funny mix’—but this recognition affirms that blending disciplines can lead to meaningful contributions in medicine and beyond. I’m incredibly proud to be selected from such a talented community of art-science thinkers, and I’m especially grateful to Dr. Paul Shaw—not only for his mentorship in the lab, but for supporting me across all areas of my academic and personal growth.”
Streett will receive a prize and formal acknowledgement at a celebration of biology honors and research emphasis students in May.
