‘Bronze Johns’ gets a facelift with help of 3-D printing technology
January 11, 2018
In the Carnegie Center for Surgical Innovation on the Johns Hopkins East Baltimore campus, a 3-D printer typically reserved for medical modeling is helping complete a two-year project to restore a special part of the university’s heritage.
Since 1973, a small-scale bust of Mr. Johns Hopkins—the so-called “Bronze Johns”—has been awarded to distinguished alumni and friends of the institution for their outstanding service to the university. However, over the 45-year legacy of the Heritage Award, the statuette masters—the original sculptures that casting molds are made from—have deteriorated.
Now, thanks to a dedicated team, a new master has been created to restore the Heritage Award’s Bronze Johns statuette to its former glory.