Mines Hosts Ribbon Cutting for New Glassblowing Lab Tied to Art and Engineering Program

April 21, 2023
Mines Hosts Ribbon Cutting for New Glassblowing Lab Tied to Art and Engineering Program
Mines metallurgical engineering major Tyler Reinarts (left) works with glass under the supervision of Toni Gerlach, owner of Mind Blown Studios in Deadwood. Gerlach is instructing Mines students in the art of glass blowing as part of the new Art and Engineering (A+E) program on campus.

South Dakota Mines will host a ribbon cutting for the new Glassblowing Lab inside the university foundry at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, April 25. The lab is an addition to the National Science Foundation funded Art and Engineering (A+E) program hosted inside the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at Mines.

The new A+E program at South Dakota Mines links the creative process with science and engineering education to increase both innovation and intellectual diversity. The program pairs top area artists who help students learn a craft while studying associated science and engineering concepts in materials and metallurgical engineering.

Toni Gerlach, owner of Mind Blown Studios in Deadwood, will be instructing students in the Glassblowing Lab at Mines. Starting this coming fall, the campus Glassblowing Lab will also be open weekly to the public who want to learn the craft.

Media are welcome to attend the ribbon cutting to see live glassblowing demonstrations.