Who is Dr. Mika?
Climate scientist turned woodworker.
Dr. Mika is a trans woman and trained climate scientist living in Chicago with her husband and dog. She has always been obsessed with trees (accompanying her on a hike means you'll learn more about the local flora than you bargained for), and in 2024 she decided to translate that love of the forest into an intentional practice making wood objects. Dr. Mika loves creating things with her hands and has found meaning and purpose in crafting everyday objects with care and precision.
Prior to a career in woodworking, Dr. Mika was a university professor and NASA scientist. Her Ph.D is in “Earth System Science” and she is passionate about solving climate change through a synthesis of art and science. She has authored a number of peer-reviewed papers, contributed several textbook chapters, and given dozens of invited talks. For more info on her scholarly work, you can visit her personal webpage.
A mission of sustainability
Climate change demands that we alter our consumption habits. One important way we can do that is by owning objects that will last longer than one use. Unfortunately, there is a lot of junk out there: just scroll through Instagram or peruse the aisles of your local Target an you’ll see what I mean. Sure, you can buy a cheap cutting board for $20 from Temu, but I guarantee you it won’t stand the test of time and you’ll end up having to buy it again and again and again. That’s not how we tackle climate change! Instead, you can choose to own a well-crafted, durable, sustainable, and gorgeous object made by a local artisan like Dr. Mika that will last years and years :)
Contact Us
Hours
Monday–Friday
8am–4pm
Phone
(224) 558-2549
Email
mika@thesolarpunkproject.com