Courtney’s coral reef installation in Science, lauded by NOAA Administrator
Courtney Mattison’s thesis project was featured in the News section of Science magazine earlier this spring (pdf, p. 4). Mattison, a master’s candidate in environmental studies with an ecology and arts background and member of the Leslie Lab, created a ceramic wall installation modeling a Pacific coral reef for her Masters thesis.
During remarks at the opening of the installation at the NOAA headquarters on Monday, April 18th, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco lauded Courtney for her evocative and biologically realistic creation, and noted the importance of such art-science projects for communicating the value of healthy oceans to the public.
*** NEW ** Watch a video featuring Courtney’s artscience and Andy Winer, NOAA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships and co-chair of the US Coral Reef Taskforce.
Her coral reef installation also has caught the attention of the AP, The Boston Globe, The Providence Journal, and Brown News. Support from Brown’s Center for Environmental Studies, RISD Ceramics and NOAA’s Office of Education were critical to the creation of this project.
The project, titled Our Changing Seas: A Coral Reef Story, is on view in the lobby of the Herbert Hoover Building, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, through mid July. For more on Courtney’s work, please see her website.