A red laser imaging dot moves across the left hind paw of the Nittany Lion statue at the Lion Shrine. Kyle Herr, a metrologist with Survice Metrology, did the scanning. The engineering measurement and modeling firm contracted to digitally construct a model of the Lion statue so Penn State will have a way to reconstruct the statue if it sustains any damage. Over the life-span of the shrine, the lion has had to have its right ear replaced tree times, twice because of vandalism.

Reflective reference points are seen here adhered to various points on the Nittany Lion statue at the Lion Shrine on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as the Lion undergoes digital modeling using lasers and metrology equipment. The statue is receiving the treatment to create a digital image that could be used to reconstruct the statue if it becomes damaged. Around a dozen such reference points were placed on the campus icon, allowing measurement specialists, called metrologists, to place their equipment at different points around the statue to construct a complete detailed digital recreation of the Lion.

Metrologist Kyle Herr examines parts of the Nittany Lion Shrine statue that he scanned with a digital scanning laser. Herr, of engineering measurement firm Survice Metrology, was one of two measurement specialists to conduct the procedure, which took place between Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 22-23. The three-dimensional measurements will allow reconstruction or recreation of the statue, a gift of the Class of 1940, in the event of damage.

Work continued into the night on Tuesday, Sept. 22, as employees of the engineering measurement firm Survice Metrology created a digital scan of the Nittany Lion Shrine. The scan will create a digital image that could be used to reconstruct the statue if it becomes damaged.