Space.com: Can you give me a broad overview of how you decided to do the Lego Ideas project, and how it all happened?
Maia Weinstock: I came up with the idea sometime in 2015. I had actually proposed another set on Lego Ideas that was not related to science, but at a certain point I just decided to focus on a new project and go towards the area that I have much more experience with, and that is space. I’ve also done a lot of research on the history of women in science and engineering. So I thought [the project] would be a perfect combination of highlighting women in STEM and also highlighting women who have contributed greatly to NASA.
I decided to work on specific women, instead of generic women. [Editor’s note: The Female Scientists Lego kit features minifigures that are not modeled after specific scientists.] Because I thought this would be something different. And this is something I am passionate about, which is bringing [science] personalities to light. It was a risk. I mean, nothing like this has ever been posted [to Lego Ideas] before, at least in terms of women.
I planned it around the winter of 2015/2016, and I wanted to launch it for July 20th, which is the anniversary of the 1969 Apollo moon landing.
I submitted it, and then there’s this process where you have to get enough votes from the community. But it’s really hard to get 10,000 votes, actually, as I had actually learned in the previous year with another set that I tried out. And somehow we got to 10,000 within two weeks!
So clearly, this touched a lot of people and inspired a lot of people. So it was pretty quick, but it’s been a long waiting game since then because the review period [by Lego] didn’t actually start until, I think, September. And I actually did hear back from the Lego folks a little while ago [that the set had been accepted], but I wasn’t allowed to say anything. But I have been in touch with the Lego Ideas team for a little while. And I’m just really ecstatic about this whole thing. It’s been a fun journey.
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Congratulations Maya success of your idea and your patience in the process! I appreciate your creative spirit. Looking forward to your new ideas. Thank you for the opportunity to read this interview.
Congratulations Maya success of your idea and your patience in the process! I appreciate your creative spirit. Looking forward to your new ideas. Thank you for the opportunity to read this interview.