The sculpture’s top right features the environmental research eel, which represents IEE research on climate, ecological topics, and water quality. 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 in the center of the eel shows a clock with a Carbon 14 symbol. Broken tail pieces serve a dual purpose, representing both the breakdown of plastics and the melting of polar glaciers.
A second eel is located at the bottom of this sculpture. It represents battery research. The hexagonal pattern at the head of the eel is carbon, which is often used in anodes of batteries. The tail, on the other hand, mimics the circular pattern of cathodes made of metal oxides. The maze in the middle circle of the eel’s body is a representation of the many research trails taken by researchers to find better methods and new materials.
The sculpture’s upper left side features a third eel, which represents energy research. The pattern filling the head of the eel represents the blue solar panel. The pattern filling its tail is the perovskite-solar module. Its copper color is copper oxide, a component that is often used in perovskite-based solar cells. The sun is represented by the center circle of the eel’s body, which is necessary to power all solar panel.
The sculpture’s center circle is intended to house a screen that will display future animations, videos and graphics by EEL researchers.
Andrew Read, director of the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, stated that art is a powerful way to communicate science to the general public. This amazing installation piece will continue to inspire Penn State researchers for many years to follow.
The Huck Institutes SciArt unit staff worked alongside several University employees to prepare the lobby area and fabricate the pieces of the new sculpture.
Alan WitmerManaging Director, IEE Facilities Steve WatsonDirector of planning, design & properties at Office of Physical Plant. 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 was the studio manager at Talley Fisher Studio and assisted with assembly.