Month: September 2016

Job Posting: Cultural Heritage Preservation Consultant; World Learning (remote position)

Apply for Cultural Heritage Preservation Consultant via https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html?client=worldl&jobId=146958&lang=en_US&source=CC3
World Learning: Cultural Heritage Preservation Consultant Request for Quote

Main Facts Table
Reference Cultural Heritage Preservation Consultant
Contact for Questions and Quote Submission Edith Cecchini (edith.cecchini@worldlearning.org)
Deadline for submission of Quote Submissions 11:59pm EST on October 9, 2016
Skype Interviews with Finalists October 10-14, 2016
Estimated date of notification Week of October 17, 2016
Estimated dates of service October 24, 2016 – September 30, 2017 on an as-needed basis.
Total Estimated LOE (Level of Effort): 300 hours over 11 months, with an estimated 40 hours per month from November 2016 through April 2017 and 10 hours per month May through October 2017.

 
1. Need
World Learning seeks a Cultural Heritage Preservation Consultant to assist with the U.S. Department of State’s Communities Connecting HeritageSM grant from October 2016 through October 2017 on an as-needed basis. Total Estimated LOE (Level of Effort): 300 hours over approximately 12 months, with an estimated 40 hours per month from October through April and 10 hours per month April through October.
2. Background
Communities Connecting HeritageSM (CCH), is a two-year (9/1/2016 through 8/31/2018) U.S. Department of State-funded program awarded to World Learning as the prime implementer. CCH is an international people-to-people exchange program that engages communities and empowers people through the exploration of cultural heritage issues. The program brings together U.S. and international communities, especially youth, women, ethnic minorities and other underserved groups, through collaborative exchange projects that advance cultural heritage preservation through community outreach and public education. Youth ages 12-25 will be the primary demographic both in terms of participants and outreach. The program will include three phases: first, the selection of participating organizations and the creation of partnerships that result in the co-creation of a project; second, the virtual engagement of beneficiaries and participants during project implementation; and finally, the in-person exchanges between the two partners. This is a new initiative of the U.S. Department of State.
3. Purpose and Scope
The goals of the CCH Program are to:

  • Promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries (six countries TBD);
  • Showcase the role of cultural organizations as vibrant, engaged and influential institutions in contemporary society and convey the importance of tangible and intangible cultural heritage to community and national identity;
  • Increase awareness and understanding of American art, culture, values and society for international participants and audiences;
  • Foster opportunities for education outreach and community engagement with diverse and underserved communities, especially youth (ages 12-25), women, ethnic minorities, and refugees;
  • Provide unique opportunities for artistic collaboration, engagement and/or public exhibition between American and international participants; and
  • Create opportunities for sustaining relationships and collaboration between U.S. and international participants and institutions that endure beyond the exchanges.

The program aims to achieve these goals through achieving the following objectives:

  1. Identify and solidify 6 collaborative and sustainable partnerships between cultural organizations in the United States and foreign countries that lead to the conceptualization of innovative, cultural preservation projects;
  2. Support the implementation of 6 cultural heritage preservation projects through dynamic virtual and in-person exchanges that engage youth, ethnic minorities, women, and other disadvantaged populations; and
  3. Provide cultural heritage organizations with the tools and opportunities to expand their impact and sustain partnerships.

In order to achieve these goals, World Learning’s CCH team will hire a consultant with expertise in cultural heritage preservation/anthropology/the arts to work with World Learning on the following activities:
(Activity 1):  Identifying Target Countries and International Partners
The Cultural Heritage Consultant will join World Learning staff in reviewing international partner applications, as well as participating in interviews with final partner candidates. S/he will ensure that selected organizations demonstrate the requisite experience and understanding of key cultural heritage preservation concepts and programming. The U.S. Department of State must approve all finalists.
(Activity 2): Selecting U.S. Partners
S/he will help World Learning staff identify U.S. organizations with a reputation for excellent cultural programming to receive the request for proposals and may also be called upon to assist with the development of the RFP. The Consultant will sit as a member of the selection committee and contribute to the development of selection criteria.
(Activity 3): Co-Creation of Project Design
S/he will participate in supporting and reviewing the project design co-creation process between the matched partner organizations, ensuring that final projects address best practices in cultural heritage preservation and align with international standards. S/he will provide advice and mentorship to partner organizations as they identify their key beneficiaries, develop community outreach plans and articulate their project ideas.
(Activity 4): Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation 
World Learning staff will consult with the Cultural Heritage Consultant as projects are being implemented and evaluated. S/he will work with the project team to address any implementation issues and recalibrate activities as needed.
 4. Consultant Requirements

  • Must be fluent in English
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience working on cultural heritage preservation projects
  • Strong network in the cultural preservation field, preferably with an international scope
  • Experience working with cultural organizations, both in the U.S. and abroad (especially Near East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and/or Europe and Eurasia)
  • Experience planning, promoting, and implementing a variety of public exhibitions
  • Familiarity and comfort with virtual engagement
  • Knowledgeable of latest technology used in cultural preservation
  • Excellent communication skills, including: clarity in writing and speaking, timely responsiveness, ability to juggle multiple inquiries and needs for input
  • Creativity: ability to ideate and brainstorm
  • Cross-Cultural Communication Skills
  • Flexibility: willingness to work ad hoc and at a variety of daytime/evening time hours due to expected multiple international time zones of partners

5. Required Application Components

  • Resume (no more than 3 pages): Relevant Qualifications and Current Base of Operations/Current and Expected Physical Address during the timeframe of work.
  • Cover Letter (up to 2 pages): Explain your interest, your qualifications, technical expertise, past experience designing cultural preservation projects, working with youth, working with the international community, and working virtually.
  • Examples: three to five examples of recent cultural preservation projects that you have designed, led, and/or implemented within the last 10 years. Samples should not be more than one-page executive summaries.
  • Rate Quote: Please provide a quote of your expected hourly rate in your cover letter or on a separate document. Prices should be quoted in USD. Payment is expected to be on a quarterly basis, but timing is negotiable.

6. Evaluation Criteria (Out of 100 Points Maximum)

  • Educational Qualifications: (20 Points Maximum)
  • Experience: Cultural Preservation Experience/Stength of Samples (60 Points Maximum)
  • Rate: Reasonable and Commensurate with Experience (20 Points Maximum)

Offerors will not be reimbursed for any costs incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of their offers. World Learning reserves the right to: conduct negotiations with and/or request clarifications from any Offeror prior to selection; or cancel any of the items/services described or the entire bidding process.
7. Submission Instructions:
Submission of questions, and proposal materials should be sent by email to edith.cecchini@worldlearning.org  By submitting a quote in response to this RFP, the Offeror certifies that it and its principal officers are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise considered ineligible for an award by the U.S. Government. World Learning will not award a contract to any entity or individual that is debarred, suspended, or considered to be ineligible by the U.S. Government.

Grant: NPS Announces 2017 Preservation Technology and Training Grant Funding Opportunity

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ANNOUNCES THE 2017 PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

 WASHINGTON –The National Park Service (NPS) today opened the application period for 2017  Preservation Technology and Training  Grants (PTT Grants) to create better tools, better materials, and better approaches to conserving buildings, landscapes, sites, and collections. The PTT Grants are administered by the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT), the National Park Service’s innovation center for the preservation community. NCPTT has set aside $300,000 for the grant program, pending the availability of funding.

Kirk Cordell, Deputy Associate Director for Science, Technology & Training, said “NCPTT’s grants program supports innovative projects that develop new tools and technologies to improve the preservation of the nation’s historic resources.”

The competitive grants program will provide funding to federal agencies, states, tribes, local governments, and non-profit organizations. PTT Grants will support the following activities:

  • Innovative research that develops new technologies or adapts existing technologies to preserve cultural resources (typically $25,000 to $40,000)
  • Specialized workshops or symposia that identify and address national preservation needs (typically $15,000 to $25,000)
  • How-to videos, mobile applications, podcasts, best practices publications, or webinars that disseminate practical preservation methods or provide better tools for preservation practice (typically $5,000 to $15,000) 

The maximum grant award is $40,000. The actual grant award amount is dependent on the scope of the proposed activity.

NCPTT does not fund “bricks and mortar” grants.

 NCPTT funds projects within several overlapping disciplinary areas.  These include:

  • Archeology
  • Architecture
  • Collections Management
  • Engineering
  • Historic Landscapes
  • Materials Conservation

In order to focus research efforts, NCPTT requests innovative proposals that advance the application of science and technology to historic preservation in the following areas:

  • Climate Change Impacts
  • Disaster Planning and Response
  • Modeling and Managing Big Data
  • Innovative Techniques for Documentation
  • Protective Coatings and Treatments

Other research topics may be considered for funding.

Who may apply?

  • U.S. universities and colleges,
  • U.S. non-profit organizations: museums, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. that are directly associated with educational or research activity, and
  • government agencies in the U.S.: National Park Service and other federal, state, territorial and local government agencies, as well as Hawaiian Natives, Native American and Alaska Native tribes and their Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.

Other organizations can participate only as contractors to eligible U.S. partners. Grants funds support only portions of projects that are undertaken or managed directly by U.S. partners and expended in the U.S. and its territories.

How do I apply?

Applications must be submitted using Grants.gov. Search in Grants.gov for Funding Opportunity #P16AS00579, under Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 15.923 or 2017 Preservation Technology and Training Grants.

When is the deadline for applications?

Applications must be submitted by 11:59pm EDT Thursday, November 3, 2016.  If the project is funded, applicants should expect to be able to begin work no sooner than July 2017.

For questions about the  please contact NCPTT at 318-356-7444.

Job Posting: Associate Arts Professor; Director, MIAP – New York University Tisch School of the Arts (New York, NY, USA)

Job Title: Associate Arts Professor; Director, Moving Image Archiving and Preservation (MIAP) Program
Department: Department of Cinema Studies
Job Description: The Department of Cinema Studies seeks a director for its high-profile, two-year Master of Arts degree program in Moving Image Archiving and Preservation, position to begin Fall 2017. MIAP educates and trains future professionals to manage and curate archival collections of video, film, and digital media (see tisch.nyu.edu/cinema-studies/miap). With a graduate degree and extensive professional practice, the MIAP director will be appointed as an Associate Arts Professor.
As a full-time, non-tenure track member of the Department of Cinema Studies faculty, the MIAP director will have responsibilities that include teaching, research, and administration. The director also serves on select departmental committees and attends department meetings and functions.
The director will: oversee and evaluate the program; develop curriculum and internship opportunities; hire adjunct faculty; plan resources; lead fund-raising initiatives, including grant-writing and donor cultivation; recruit applicants; and advise students. The director must bring vision to the role and implement new directions to maintain MIAP’s international status as a leading center of research and education in the field.
Qualifications: Strong teaching record; in-depth knowledge of, and experience in, the preservation and management of audiovisual collections (including film, video, audio, born-digital, and multimedia items); active engagement with innovations in the field; capacity to oversee and manage a complex educational training program; and the ability to work with diverse teams and supervise staff.
To apply, please complete the online application, attaching a copy of your curriculum vitae, letter of application, contact information for three referees, and supporting materials (e.g., publications and/or documentation of professional activities). Please contact tisch.preservation@nyu.edu with any questions.
Application deadline is October 14, 2016. Review of applications will begin immediately. Applications may be considered beyond October 14 in order to identify an appropriate pool of finalists.
New York University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NYU does not discriminate due to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital or parental status, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, veteran or military status, age, disability, unemployment status or any other legally protected basis, and to the extent permitted by law. Qualified candidates of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

Internship: 2017-2018 Getty Graduate Internship Program

Getty Graduate Internships are offered in the four programs of the J. Paul Getty Trust—the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Foundation, as well as in Getty Publications—to students who intend to pursue careers in fields related to the visual arts. Training and work experience placements are available in areas such as curatorial, education, conservation, research, publications, information management, public programs, and grantmaking.

Please see the list of internship position areas and host departments participating in 2017—2018 (PDF, 8 pp., 81kb).

Eligibility
Internships are open to students of all nationalities. Applicants must be:

  • Students currently enrolled in a graduate program leading to an advanced degree in a field relevant to the internship(s) for which they are applying, or
  • Individuals who have completed a relevant graduate degree on or after January 1, 2014, with postgraduate activities in their field, paid or unpaid.

Terms
Internships are located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles or the Getty Villa in Malibu. All positions are full-time beginning September 11, 2017. Most internships are for eight months, ending May 18, 2018. Conservation internships are twelve months, ending September 7, 2018. Grant amounts are $20,000 for eight months and $30,000 for twelve months. Support for research travel is available for up to $2,500. Graduate Interns are eligible to enroll in the Getty’s health care plan. The grant includes $1,000 towards relocation expenses but housing is not provided. Please note that grant funds may be subject to federal and state taxes and deductions. Additional information about the terms of these grants is available here.
How To Apply
Applicants are required to complete and submit the online Graduate Internship application form (which includes uploading a supplemental application form; Personal Statement; Curriculum Vitae; Transcript(s); and Letters of Recommendation) by 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on December 1, 2016. Materials received after the deadline will result in an incomplete application.
For the best user experience, we strongly recommend use of the Google Chrome browser. You may also use Firefox or Safari. The Internet Explorer (IE) browser is not compatible with our portal.
We cannot accept applications hand-delivered to the Getty Center or those sent by e-mail or fax.
Application Materials
As part of the application, you will need to prepare the following materials:

  • Personal Statement:Your Personal Statement should consist of no more than 500 words (two double-spaced pages) that explains how your Getty internship choices fit with your background and career goals. Include the reasons for your choice of specific departments or programs for an internship. Also describe what you hope to achieve from the experience and what you believe you can contribute.
  • Resume/Curriculum Vitae: Current resumes are required for all applicants. Please limit resumes to five pages.
  • Transcript(s): Transcripts are required for both undergraduate and graduate degrees completed or in progress. Please be aware that you may be requested to submit hardcopies of official transcripts/academic records at a later date in the evaluation process.If you graduated from a school outside of the United States, transcripts may be substituted with proof of completed courses and/or copies of diploma(s). If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program, provide proof of current enrollment (for example, your most recent transcript or academic record). A note concerning multiple transcripts: you may upload each one individually or as a single combined document (strongly preferred).
  • Letters of Recommendation (2): Applicants must have two confidential letters of recommendation submitted directly by their recommenders. Letters must be received no later than 5:00p.m. Pacific Standard Time on December 1, 2016. Typically, the most appropriate recommenders are university faculty members who are able to address your academic performance. Other recommenders may include past or current employers of relevant work who are familiar with your skills and abilities. Recommenders will be automatically contacted via email through the application system.

Begin a New Application
Create or update your account and password, log in, and begin a new application. You may return to your work at any time by visiting the portal at the link above and logging into your account.
Please note that as part of this application you will request that two confidential letters of recommendation be forwarded by your recommenders through the system by December 1, 2016. Recommenders should attach a scanned original letter to the e-mail.
Once you request this information you will be able to monitor your account to confirm that the letters have been submitted.
Please address inquiries to:
Telephone: +1 (310) 440-7320
E-mail: gradinterns@getty.edu
Notification
Due to the large volume of applications received, staff is unable to respond to application-related questions once the deadline has passed. Finalists will be contacted for phone or in-person interviews in March 2017. All applicants will be notified of the Getty Foundation’s decision in April.
For technical assistance, or if you cannot submit an online application, please contact gradinterns@getty.edu. We are available during normal Pacific Standard Time business hours, and will attempt to respond within two business days.

Advocacy Alert: IMLS Reauthorization Introduced in Congress

We received this important advocacy alert from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) today. Please take a few minutes to let your Congressional representatives know how important IMLS is to conservation, museums, and our cultural heritage.
Note: The links below will take you to the AAM website where you can use their template tools to quickly reach your representatives.
IMLS Reauthorization Introduced in Congress; Contact Senators Today!
Late last week, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced S. 3391, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2016, joined by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Thad Cochran (R-MS), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). This bipartisan legislation, which the Alliance worked with others to help craft, would reauthorize the Institute of Museum and Library Services for six years and advance many of the Principles for IMLS Reauthorization endorsed by the museum field.
“The Museum and Library Services Act of 2016 will strengthen IMLS and enhance its ability to serve museums nationwide. Our field is lucky to have a supporter on Capitol Hill like Senator Jack Reed, and I’m grateful to him for working so closely with us on this proposal,” said Alliance President and CEO Laura L. Lott. “Now, this bill and the valuable improvements it contains need our help. With the congressional calendar running short, it is an especially important time to build momentum behind this legislation.”
Ask your Senators to cosponsor the Museum and Library Services Act of 2016.
The legislation:

  • Formally authorizes a 21st Century Museum Professional Program, to improve the recruitment, preparation, and professional development of museum professionals, especially those from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
  • Maintains the agency’s existing authority to support museum activities at both the state and regional level, while adding regional museum collaboration to its “Purpose” section, akin to how state museum collaboration is currently referenced.
  • Adds a new emphasis on ensuring that every American has access to high-quality museum experiences to the “Purpose” section.
  • Maintains and augments the agency’s research, data collection, and analysis about museums and libraries.
  • Establishes new reporting to ensure that the agency sufficiently collaborates with museum and library organizations at the national, regional, and state level on its research and data collection activities.
  • Includes additional federal entities on the list of potential interagency partnerships, allowing IMLS to expand its collaborative efforts with other agencies and magnify support for museums and libraries.
  • Updates the agency’s governance, so that it operates more closely in alignment with other federal cultural agencies.

Ask your Senators to cosponsor the Museum and Library Services Act of 2016. P.S. Debate continues in Congress on legislation needed to keep federal agencies operating past September 30. Negotiators and analysts continue to express optimism that a deal will be struck, but the clock is running out. See AAM’s most recent advocacy alert for more details on how programs that impact museums have fared so far during this year’s appropriations process.

Vandalism done in the name of preservation

According to The New York Times (“Many Chinese Aghast Over ‘Botched’ Repair to Great Wall”, by Chris Buckley and Adam Wu, September 22, 2015), two years after a 1.2 mile section of the Great Wall of China in Suizhong County, Liaoning Province was repaired by covering it over with a white substance that is either cement or a mixture of lime and sand—depending on who one speaks to—photos were published in a local newspaper and the work brought to light. Officials of the China Great Wall Society were upset by this work which abandoned the principle of minimum interference, but cultural preservation officials responsible for that part of the wall defended the action saying that the section was in danger of falling down and that the work was done as an emergency repair. The loss of features such as crenelations,carvings,and the colors and textures of old brick is an aesthetic tragedy that has been called “vandalism done in the name of preservation”.

Job Posting: Research Physical Scientist (Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry) / Research Biochemist / Research Chemist – Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (Suitland, MD, USA)

The Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) is seeking a Research Physical Scientist (Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry) / Research Biochemist / Research Chemist to conduct research on works of art or on objects of cultural, historical or scientific value including biological and organic materials. The scientist will develop and apply new approaches to materials analysis using Orbitrap Velos mass spectrometry and /or gas chromatography – mass spectrometry combined with sampling techniques such as pyrolysis, headspace and solid-phase microextraction. It is expected that the candidate will participate in MCI research and technical studies. The successful candidate will have experience in research, professional presentation, and publication.
MCI is a scientific research center of the Smithsonian Institution with the mission to increase and disseminate scientific knowledge that improves preservation and conservation of museum collections and related material, with an emphasis on the collections of the Smithsonian Institution’s museums. For a more detailed description of the MCI’s programs please see www.si.edu/mci.
For a complete application package and instructions please access USAJOBS https://www.usajobs.gov/ and retrieve the announcements:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/451547400?share=email 16A-SR-301892-MPA-MCI (MPA means open to current and federal employees)
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/451547900?share=email 16A-SR-301892-DEU-MCI (DEU means open to all U. S. citizens)
Vacancy closes October 10, 2016
The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National.

Technology can be truly amazing

According to an article in the September 22, 2016 issue of The New York Times (“Technology Unlocks Secrets of a Biblical Scroll”, by Nicholas Wade), using x-ray based micro-computed tomography and a visualization technique called “virtual unwrapping”, the text of a carbonized parchment scroll found at Ein-Gedi (on the shore of the Dead Sea) about 50 years ago has been retrieved without unrolling the scroll. Now scholars hope to apply this technique to the carbonized scrolls from Herculaneum. What a boon to scholarship. Technology can be truly amazing.

Fellowship: Conservation and Scientific Research Fellowships at The Met (New York, NY, USA)

Fellowships at The Met are an opportunity for scholars from around the world to use the Museum as a place for exchange, research, and professional advancement. Fellows are fully integrated into the life of The Met and, through weekly gatherings and discussions, take part in research sharing and workshops that explore the inner workings of The Met. Fellows are given a workspace and focused access to research facilities, labs, libraries, collections, and the time and space to think.
PhD candidates, postdoctoral scholars, and senior scientists and researchers are eligible to apply.
Junior fellows are those applicants who have recently completed graduate-level training; senior fellows are well-established professionals with at least eight years of experience in the field and a proven publication record, or those who have their PhD in hand by the deadline date.
Junior fellows work closely with Met staff to receive training on scientific research and conservation practices. Senior fellows work on a specific research project that makes use of the Museum’s collection and/or resources.
The number of fellowships awarded depends on funds and resources available.
The stipend amount for one year is $42,000 for junior fellows and $52,000 for senior fellows, with up to an additional $6,000 for travel (maximum of six weeks).
To apply, please visit our website: www.metmuseum.org/about-the-met/fellowships/conservation-and-scientific-research-fellowships
Questions may be directed to academic.programs@metmuseum.org.

Negotiator is not necessarily the role that first comes to mind

In an article in the September 22, 2016 issue of The Wall Street Journal about the exhibit “Jerusalem 1000- 1400: Every People Under Heaven” that recently opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“Medieval Art from Jerusalem Opens Window on Past, by David Masello), it is noted that five 12th century capitals carved with scenes from the lives of the saints were acquired for the show due to the diplomatic bargaining skills of conservator Jack Soultanian who made a deal with the Franciscans of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth where the sculptures were housed. We all know that conservators have many varied skills and play many roles, but negotiator is not necessarily the one that first comes to mind.