The environmental research eel is located at the top right of this sculpture. It represents IEE research in climate and ecological topics such as carbon dioxide levels, carbon dating, and microplastics. The graph at the top of the eel shows increasing CO2 levels over 45,000 years. This is a nod towards the Radiocarbon Laboratory, which provides radiocarbon measurements for carbon-bearing material spanning the past 45,000 year. A circle at this eel’s center displays a clock paired with a Carbon 14 symbol. Broken pieces of the tail serve a dual function, representing the destruction of plastics in our ecosystems and the breaking of glaciers or melting of the polar ice caps.
The second eel, which represents battery research, is placed at the bottom. The head of the eel has a hexagonal pattern, which represents the element Carbon, which is often used in anodes of batteries. The tail, however, mimics the circular pattern of metals oxides used to make cathodes. The maze in the center circle of this eel’s body represents the many research paths traversed by researchers seeking new materials and better methods for construction of batteries.
A third eel is located at the upper left corner of the sculpture. It represents energy research. The pattern in the head of the eel represents the familiar blue solar panel. Meanwhile, the pattern in the tail is the perovskite-solar module. It’s copper color represents copper oxide, an oft-employed component used in perovskite solar cells. The center circle of this eel’s body is rendered as an image of the sun, the light of which is required to power all solar panels.
The sculpture has a large circle in the middle that can be used to display future animations, videos, graphics and graphics from EEL researchers.
“Art is a phenomenal way to communicate science to the public, and we’re thrilled to see this latest example of beauty and creativity brought to life at the interface of the two,” said Andrew Read, director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences. “This remarkable installation piece will serve to inspire the Penn State research community many years into the future.”
In addition to staff from the Huck Institute’s SciArt unit, several people from within the University community collaborated with external partners to prepare the space in the lobby and fabricate and assemble the pieces of the new sculpture.
Alan WitmerManager of IEE facilities Steve WatsonDirector of Planning, Design & Properties at Office of Physical Plant (OPP); Duncan SpenceOPP’s renovation services estimator; and many OPP staff members completed the work needed to prepare the lobby space for the sculpture. Precision Metal FabricatorsMost of the fabrication was done in York, Pennsylvania. Mountaintop Powder CoatingThe metal pieces were finished by Bellefonte, Pennsylvania’s Studio Manager,. Olivia Calef, studio manager, at Talley Fisher Studio, assisted in assembly and installation.
