SDC News > SCD photo of the week: August 22, 2003

Blue skies

Jennifer Griffin paints a mural for the SCD Conference Room. The mural, meant to represent SCD and its support of atmospheric research, was unveiled on 22 August 2003. It was part of an initiative to brighten the subterranean room where SCD holds frequent meetings.

The idea originated several months ago, when Marla Meehl (manager, Network Engineering and Telecommunications Section); Susan Cross (exhibits coordinator, Visualization and Enabling Technologies Section); Joan Fisher (administrative assistant, Director's Office), and Janice Kauvar (administrator, Director's Office) formed a committee to beautify Room 40.

The small basement conference room, which has a low ceiling, fluorescent lights, and no windows, has long been noted for its claustrophobic feel. With the creative input of Jennifer Griffin, a NETS administrative assistant and accomplished artist, the committee put together a proposal for the painting of a mural. Three ideas were presented to SCD director Al Kellie, who selected one and gave the go-ahead.

Jennifer used acryllics to paint the mural, which was unveiled last week at a celebratory SCD reception. The finished mural portrays NCAR's Mesa Lab against the Boulder skyline, with metaphorical representations of all SCD sections. A close look reveals images of a supercomputer, the Mass Storage System, a workstation, a data satellite, a Voice Over IP phone, a network diagram, a climate visualization, math equations, and a consultant on duty.

SCD staff, many of who spend a great deal of time in the Conference Room, observe that the mural does make a difference, adding color and a feeling of spaciousness — almost as if a window has been installed!

For more photos of the unveiling and reception, see the photo gallery.

Photos: Top, Brian Bevirt; bottom, Lynda Lester (NCAR/SCD)