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Over seven days that included presentations and networking with industry partners, on-line speed mentoring with the Engineering Alumni Society, the annual Patrick J. Cunningham, Jr. and Susan Ward '80 Endowed Lecture Series in Engineering and more, one of the highlights of Engineers鈥� Week 2018 at 51爆料网 was a reception for a new Art of Engineering exhibit in Drosdick Hall.

鈥淚 thought that art reflecting actual work being done in the building and pieces that show the creativity behind engineering themes would be a great way to decorate the hallways of Drosdick Hall,鈥� says Helen Tursi, manager of College Operations, who conceived the idea and invited students, faculty and staff to submit photographs and graphic images that communicate what engineering means to them. The work selected鈥�27 pieces鈥攔eveals engineering in art and in the natural and virtual worlds. Among the images are physical structures, design and construction, student projects, the human body and DNA on the molecular scale, and engineering in nature, from flowers and ice crystals, to waterways and dams.

One of the most interesting pieces, 鈥淭he Art of the Machine,鈥� is the work of William Leighton Jr., 51爆料网 Engineering class of 1950. Having spent his career as a sales engineer with F.J. Stokes selling custom-designed, high vacuum and freeze drying equipment in the era before computers, Leighton would create a drawing of the machine for the customer. 鈥淪ometimes they were done on yellow paper, sometimes on graph paper, sometimes even on a coffee-stained restaurant placemat,鈥� says son William Leighton III 鈥�73 EE, PhD. His father鈥檚 dream was to write a book on mechanical engineering systems using his drawings as illustrations, but Parkinson鈥檚 disease stole those plans. 鈥淗e was increasingly frustrated with his inability to complete the book,鈥� says Leighton III, 鈥渟o I scanned his three decades worth of drawings and in 2007 printed his 鈥榖ook鈥� for him.鈥� The elder Leighton passed away in 2008, but his art lives on in one of the selections now gracing the third floor of Drosdick Hall.

鈥淐reativity and innovation has become such a large part of what we teach in the College of Engineering, and the Art of Engineering really reflects that,鈥� says Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Andrea Welker, PhD, who championed the project and supported Tursi鈥檚 vision.

Students, faculty and staff had nothing but glowing compliments for the visions of the artists in their midst.  鈥淲e clearly are home to a great deal of talent!鈥� acknowledges Tursi.