ENVIE, The Wand of Environmental Inspiration
Artist and benefactor Edie Postiglione holding the Wand of Environmental Inspiration

Created in August 2024 for the Environmental Engineering students and faculty of the University of Minnesota’s CEGE Department, ENVIE is a one-of-a-kind artifact designed to inspire environmental stewardship and celebrate the power of engineering to protect our planet.

This wand was lovingly crafted by Edie Postiglione, co-founder of the Edith (Edie) and Gary Postiglione Scholarship in Environmental Engineering. Edie’s passion for our planet and her commitment to supporting future environmental engineers are embedded in every detail of this wand.

ENVIE is a beacon of hope, creativity, and commitment. It reminds us that saving the planet requires imagination, science, engineering and heart. Through scholarships and inspiration, Edie and Gary are helping train the next generation of engineers to protect our environment and all its inhabitants. 

Let ENVIE spark your curiosity, your dedication, and your courage to make a difference.

Materials & Symbolism

Wand Composition: Made from mesquite wood scraps, harvested from a tree in Tucson, Arizona.

Highlight of Mississippi water

Enchantment Chamber 1: Water from the Mississippi River, flowing through UMN’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, infused with gold particles to reflect movement and vitality.

Highlight of the green fish

Enchantment Chamber 2: A tiny stone fish hand-carved by an unknown gifted artist in Asia.

Highlight of the walnut endcap

End Cap: A walnut shell from a mysteriously sprouted oak tree near Edie’s driveway circa 1990.

Highlight of the ammonite fossil

Ammonite Fossil: A 70-million-year-old ancient, chambered nautilus cephalopod (found circa 2000 in Madagascar), representing Earth’s deep history and the urgency of preservation.

highlight of the elephant

Carved Bone Elephant on Mother of Pearl: Grasping the plight facing elephants caused by Africa’s severe droughts (2022) set Edie and Gary on a journey to do whatever they could to save the planet. This tiny elephant is a tribute to endangered species. 

Glass Flowers and Leaves: Created with repurposed vintage jewelry-making glass, the flowers and leaves honor Gary – Edie’s late husband, partner, and technical guru for forty years. Gary encouraged Edie to create this new wand and include flowers in the design.

Highlights of flowers
Highlight of monkey face

Mesquite “Monkey Face”: A natural aberration in the mesquite with amber-like eyes looks a bit like a monkey. Open to your interpretation and imagination.

Highlight of brass frog

Brass Frog: A nod to frogs as vital indicators of ecosystem health.

Highlight of end crystal

Crystal Light: A bold, oversized crystal—because solving today’s environmental challenges requires powerful magic and even more powerful engineering.

Read more of Edie and Gary Postiglione's story.