Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read welcomed guests at the open house and shared the importance of the intersection between art and research.
Penn State College of Arts and Architecture Dean B. Stephen Carpenter (left) and Daryl Branford (right), the director of Science-Art Initiatives at The Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences attended the open house that showcases work from their respective areas. Branford’s work is displayed, and he was also part of the installation team.
Guests at the open house included contributors to the curation as well as leadership from across the University, faculty, staff and community members. The Penn State community is welcome to visit the exhibit in 304 Old Main on weekdays (excluding holidays).
Ascoma Sonya Aboud, 2018: This clay representation of the ascoma, the fruiting body of the Cordyceps fungus, shows a cross-section that reveals the spores. It is the spore-producing structure that grows from the ant’s head after it’s death bite into the underside of a plant. It then releases the fungus’s spores into the environment. This traveling interdisciplinary project by Huck SciArt explores the research of David Hughes, revealing the invisible world of Cordyceps.
“Fungal Biomaterials for Sustainable Architectural Acoustics” -- the ForMat Lab are working with mycelium-based composites that explore sustainable ways of cultivating mycelium-based building parts and structures. Exhibited here are mycelium-based acoustic panel prototypes cultivated by Natalie Walter as part of her Master of Science in Architecture thesis study. These panel prototypes are cultivated on different organic substrates, including waste cardboard, under different growth conditions.
Core Project Team: Natalie Walter – Graduate Student, Master of Science in Architecture Dr. Benay Gürsoy (PI) – Assistant Professor of Architecture, Director of ForMat Lab
Contributors: Dr. John Pecchia – Associate Research Professor, Director of the Mushroom Research Center Alale Mohseni – Graduate Student, PhD in Architecture
"From Biomanufacturing to Fashion” -- the Demirel Lab in the College of Engineering have developed a revolutionary solution to the problem of microfiber pollution: a protein-based material, which is sustainably produced with biotechnology, biodegradable and nontoxic. This stop on the art curation tour showcases the blend fabric of Squitex denim (85% cotton, 15% protein) along with lion paws made of protein powder.
Core Project Team: Abdon Pena Francesch: Graduate Student (Currently an Assistant Prof at U. Michigan) Huihun Jung: Graduate Student (Currently at Tandem Repeat, Inc; a Penn State Spin-off) Melik Demirel: Huck Endowed Chair Professor of Biomimetic Materials, College of Engineering
Videos from colleges, such as the College of Education and Health and Human Development, play on screens in the lobby of the suite, showcasing the variety of research that goes beyond STEM.