Workshops, Tours, & Events – Page 5 – AIC Blog Archives: Conservators Converse

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting — Workshop — Assessing and Managing Risks to Your Collections

Led by Robert Waller, PhD
2012-May-08

Robert Waller currently wears several hats as the President and Senior Risk Analyst of Protect Heritage Corporation based in Ottawa, and his impressive career also includes working as a conservation administrator for the Canadian Museum of Nature as well as an author of numerous conservation publications. He taught this one-day workshop on risk assessment methodology with a sense of humor as well as a sense of purpose, and left me wanting to learn more. He kept us actively engaged and learning from one another. And his thorough handout gave us lots more information to clarify the concepts that we practiced working with during the day.

We started off introducing each other and doing a little group bonding at each table, which led to friendly competition for tantalizing prizes equitably awarded by our instructor. Our whole group was marvelously multi-lingual, multi-cultural, and multi-specialty, opening our minds to the challenges of different locations and types of collections. The bonding time paid off by the end of the day, when we had to work together to produce a real-life risk analysis of exhibits in the convention center, complete with insect infestation and earthquake risks.

One key takeaway for me after one of the mathematical exercises was that we don’t have to get too specific to estimate loss in value. The point is to identify the kind of value that the object is most prized for in the collection at this point in time, not every possible use/value that it could ever have. The spreadsheet would get too long, and we’d get bogged down with fine differences in opinion. Just using a few significant and vaguely measurable values allows us to screen and rank the risks so we can then prioritize the top ten, figure out how much mitigation would cost, and then take concrete, practical steps to get the most bang for the buck.

But first, we had to learn the method, which is both theoretical and practical. Brace yourselves for some math, or better yet, get some caffeine to help you through the next few paragraphs.

The method starts with identifying risks both by “agent of deterioration” (one of ten general causes of risk) and “type of risk” (a combination of frequency and severity). How often a risk might happen is the first significant filter for decision-making, so dividing risks into rare, sporadic, and continual is the place to start. These are then further modified by their severity, so a rare and catastrophic risk becomes type 1, sporadic and severe is type 2, and continual and mild is type 3. According to Bob, we can’t waste time worrying about either a continual/catastrophic risk (we’re all goners), or a mild/rare risk (just a drop in the bucket).

To assess a collection’s risks, we define the most likely agents of deterioration and types of risks, and then envision specific scenarios that illustrate the combination of the two. For example, the agent of deterioration might be pests, the type of risk might be type 2 (sporadic and severe), and the specific risk might be silverfish that enter the collection with a donation, and feast on paper-based library collections resulting in loss of information value. Approximately 50 such specific risks would be defined for a typical, comprehensive collection assessment, and a spreadsheet table created with a line for each risk.

The magnitude of each specific risk is then estimated by determining four ratios (each is given a number between 0 and 1) and multiplying them all together:

fraction of the collection that is susceptible to each risk (.75 represents ¾ of the collection would be affected)
loss in value that would occur if the risk occurred (and value is not just monetary…there are many notions of value, and this number is approximate based on minor/major/total loss, with 1 being total loss, .5 being half of the value lost, and .1 being 10% value lost)
probability that the loss would actually occur within 100 years (for type 1 risks only; all others get a 1 because they will definitely happen within 100 years)
extent (a concept that is hard for this novice to define, but is combination of the first two values modified by their likelihood of occurring within 100 years given current mitigation efforts, and is applied to type 2 and type 3 risks only).

We assume that each of those values is 1 unless there’s a reason to define it otherwise. And once we’ve calculated the magnitude for each specific risk, we have bottom-line numbers that can help prioritize the specific risks. By multiplying several variables that are <1, decimal places accumulate in the final product, so it becomes easier to see which are the most significant risks. The comparisons become logarithmic. Risks that are closer to 1 are more likely to cause significant loss, whereas risks that are .001 and lower are not such big threats. At the end of it all, if we have two risks with similar values, we use time as a tie-breaker, determining which risk is going to happen sooner and addressing that one first.

During the last exercise, each table was assigned a display window in a series of exhibits about the sister cities of Albuquerque. Our table was assigned Sasebo, Japan, which displayed ceramics on a glass shelf aamong other things. Narrowing down to what we arbitrarily judged to be the most significant risk, we assessed the risk of earthquake damage to the ceramics. Roughly 14 out of 40 objects were ceramics on the glass shelf (fraction susceptible is 14/40 or .35). We judged the loss in value to be .8, since the ceramics would very likely break but could be repaired to regain some of their display value. Probability for earthquakes in the region is estimated at 1 in 400 years, which gave us a ratio of .25 in 100 years. Multiplying .35 x .8 x .25 gave us a bottom line magnitude of risk of .07, which is smaller than we expected. Looking back on it, we might have gotten a higher magnitude of risk if we’d chosen to assess the impact of a dead moth lying on the bottom of the case on the silk kimono hanging above it.

By the end of the day, I came to appreciate what my actuary friend does all day long, and vowed to ask him more about it. Bob did a great job at helping us to put practical numbers onto concepts that previously seemed unmeasurable, and at providing a bottom-line mathematical method that can help us clarify the priorities for mitigating risks to our collections.

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – Committee for Sustainable Conservation Practices Luncheon, May 8, “Linking the environment and heritage conservation: presentations, tips, and discussions” by Braden Allenby, Matt Eckelmann, Jia-sun Tang, Christian Hernandez, Patty Silence, and Eliza Gilligan

This lunch session featured engineers, poetry, and enchiladas.

The session opened with a few remarks from Sarah Nunberg, the chair for the Committee for Sustainable Conservation Practices, thanking all those present for the support she has received in the planning and implementation of this lunch session.

Laura Word of the NEH said a few words about the NEH grant program for Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections and that the intent of this program is to help Museums, Libraries, and Archives to plan and implement preventive conservation measures in sustainable ways. She encouraged conservators to not only be involved in these projects at the planning phases, but to stay involved throughout the duration of the proposed NEH project.

Braden Allenby, PhD presented ‘Sustainability and Conservation of the Human Past’ He began with a quote from Martin Heidegger, 1977, “So long as we do not, through thinking, experience what is, we can never belong to what will be.” Allenby then laid out the basic ideas of sustainability in 3 parts: environmental, social equality, and economic (and culture should be added) Sustainability and basic political values include egalitarian versus libertarian values, communitarianism and welfare is optimized by individuals being absorbed into community. However, current U.S. policies include libertarian and corporatism political values so we can see where we have gotten confused. The big questions like – What is to be sustained? the Earth? Biodiversity? Human life? or Existing economic and power structures? If the answer is the last, where have we gone wrong?

There is a socio-cultural importance of heritage conservation which is absolutely critical to sustainability, but this is not well-recognized by the heritage conservation community or the sustainability community.

3 levels to sustainability and heritage conservation

1. Environmental practices (keeping in mind that we do not ask hospitals to kill patients to improve their carbon footprint, it is so important to maintain high levels of professional practice while striving for improvements in environmental practices)

2. Display sustainable practices as part of the preservation of cultural heritage

3. People learn not just from artifacts, but from the context they symbolize and create, and sustainable heritage conservation is a critical, and heretofore overlooked, educational pathway towards a sustainable culture.

Allenby ended with a quote from Goethe, perhaps from this original translation –

Nur der verdient sich Freiheit wie das Leben der täglich sie erobern muss.

Of freedom and of life he only is deserving

Who every day must conquer them anew.

The next keynote speaker was Matt Eckelman, Phd

Eckelman discussed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). He began with examples like the LCA of a cup of coffee (140 liters of water), a sheet of A4 paper (10 liters of water). The amount of water that is used in the production of everyday materials like a newspaper is sobering, and it is easy to see why LCA is so important to fully understand the environmental impact of the materials we consume in our lives.

Eckelman gave an example of how we can evaluate LCA for the chemicals used in conservation, using toxicity data, and he outlined the limitations of toxicity of chemicals (650 chemicals are tracked by the Toxic Release Inventory, and there are 80,000 chemicals in commerce). For more information see this article by Sousa, et al in Green Chemistry

Each person in America generated nearly 2 pounds of paper waster per day, 93% of original material used in production i the USA becomes wast before the product reaches the consumer, 80% of the remaining 7% goes to waste, making 98% of materials used in the production of new goods. However, one of the biggest sources of environmental impact in your life is your car so at the grocery store ‘Paper or Plastic’ doesn’t matter as much as how you got there, starting biking to work programs could be a big benefit for the environment.

Eckelman ended by pulling it all back to museums, going to museums to enjoy art is a fairly low environmental impact activity, while art is expensive it is usually small and does not have the same environmental impact as other activities. Museums can lead the way with sustainable practices that are economically, environmentally, and socially conscious.

Michael Henry lead a discussion, beginning with a statement about the search for an increase in longevity, in our buildings and our collection materials. Because of multiple climate zones in the USA there are no ‘best practices’ and conservators go right to the object to determine the needs of the object, but to determine sustainable solutions we need to step back.

Braden Allenby warned of using terms associated with social engineering because it could be interpreted as a political and cultural hierarchy, but instead to focus on the economic benefits obtained from adopting sustainable practices.

The luncheon then transitioned into a series of tips sessions from 4 speakers.

Jia-sun Tsang, LEED AP, described a project in the Smithsonian Institution Sustainability Committee that researched materials for the retrofitting of exhibit cases. The research included fabrication of a micro-chamber to provide zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Her research showed that bamboo held together with adhesive emitted VOCs from the adhesive, materials that are PVC based also emitted VOCs during testing. This project is also included in the Smithsonian Environmentally Responsible Exhibits and Displays.

Christian Hernandez gave a presentation of the research for his thesis, which included a discussion of the different terms to describe sustainability and his decision to use the word ‘green’. He tested many Eco-friendly materials including Ethafoam (in a variety of recycled contents), coroplast, corogreen, corrugated board, multiuse board (archiveart ecophant). Most of the materials passed his Oddy testing, except the EcopHant, which will be re-tested. These materials were evaluated for a re-housing project at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum.

Patty Silence from Colonial Williamsburg Foundation presented on how her institution reduced energy costs while maintaining a safe collections environment by focusing on making the room or case work as efficiently as possible. Her tips included – installing shades on western facing windows, correcting thermostats, opening or closing vents, only using a fume hood when needed, installing CO2 monitors so the HVAC is moving air depending on how populated the museum and storage areas are, nighttime setbacks, LED lights and light occupancy sensors. Reducing the amount of light realized significant savings and is better for the collection materials.

Eliza Gilligan presented on a new way to purify water in a lab, using electrodeionization. She showed her set up which fits on a small cart, and described how electrodeionization works to remove cations and anions from water. She mentioned that this system has high initial costs, but there is no service contract unlike other fractionaing columns and de-ionization systems.

I enjoyed learning so much during this luncheon, both theoretical ideas and practical applications of sustainable practices in conservation.

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – CIPP Business Meeting – “Levity and Brevity”

The following was written by George Schwartz, Chair, CIPP

To call what we had on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 a CIPP Business Meeting would be a misnomer. We conducted no official business, because we got carried away, absorbed in a deep and animated conversation with AIC Board President Meg Craft and AIC Executive Director Eryl Wentworth who generously accepted our invitation and spent a great deal of their precious time explaining the structural differences between Specialty Groups, Networks and Task Forces, which are forms of organizational groups within the umbrella of the AIC. We were attempting to determine if it might be advantageous for CIPP to change to one of these other formats and the ramifications of such a change.

Meg and Eryl commanded the attention of all attendees who asked many clarifying questions and the time just flew by in a productive conversation. While there were no conclusions reached, after weighing the pros and cons, we decided to remain with the present structure while keeping our options open as we go forward. I want to thank Meg and Eryl for their insight, patience and for the time they so graciously granted us.

Our Business meeting adjourned with many small groups engaged in conversation long into the night, with some adjourning to the bar. In a different post, I will welcome our new directors to their positions and conclude Board business in accordance with customary practice.

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – CIPP Seminar Reaching Out – The Art of Using Outreach to Grow Your Business

The following post was written by CIPP Chair George Schwartz:

Those in attendance in the fully booked CIPP Seminar Reaching Out – The Art of Using Outreach to Grow Your Business were not disappointed. We held our breath listening to all the exceptionally useful and practical material presented by out two charismatic and animated presenters.

Ann Shaftel took the podium first and held our attention with her anecdotes, while giving us practical advice on how we can increase our visibility to the public. Ann spoke from the perspective of many years of practical experience. She wrote a regular newspaper column as an expert in preservation, conservation and restoration, appeared on regular radio and TV programs, live to air call in shows, and even movies.

She explained practical ways of capturing the attention of the audience, to educate and enlighten listeners on the finer points of our field. Ann addressed ethical and legal issues that can become unforeseen pitfalls in doing public outreach. It was obvious that her hard work in putting together her program paid off by capturing the attention of everyone present. We’re grateful for her efforts.

Scott Haskins followed with his presentation after a brief intermission. Those of you who know Scott, already appreciate his success and expertise in social media outreach. During his rapid-fire presentation we also got to appreciate his incisive critical thinking, his quick wit and exceptional good humor.

Scott came very well prepared. Within minutes of the start, we were making unbelievable videos without any camera equipment and posting them on YouTube. Here is a link to the one I made: http://tinyurl.com/7p6l7co . Most everyone came up with something useful just by following Scott’s instructions. He showed us other facilities to produce useful promotional outreach materials and what’s even more important, advice on how to determine who our audience is, what the content needs to focus on and how to avoid the mistakes that so many people tend to make.

I cannot meaningfully summarize the hundreds of points we touched on, but check back here on the AIC Blog as Scott has prepared some useful information which he plans to post online soon.

In closing I have to say, that the knowledge that I gleaned during these presentations was alone worth the cost of my trip to Albuquerque!

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – Angels Project, May 8: Practical Conservation at the Sandoval County Historical Society

I love Angels Projects. There is nothing precious about them. They are practical, down-to-earth conservation projects in which the rubber meets the road, and they give AIC members a chance to reach out to ordinary people who care passionately about their unique collections. On May 8, 2012, several new Angels earned their wings at the Sandoval County Historical Society, working side by side with volunteers to preserve archives, rolled maps, photographs, and oil paintings.

Sandoval County Historical Society is located in Bernalillo, New Mexico, in the home of artist Edmond DeLavy. DeLavy studied illustration at the Pratt Institute in New York, and following World War II, he moved from Maine to homestead the Bernalillo property: two and a half acres of what had been Santa Ana Pueblo lands. (The tribe is now buying back the surrounding land; they own the successful casino next door.) Before DeLavy’s death in 1989, he bequeathed his adobe home and studio to the local historical society.

Photo displays at the Sandoval County Historical Society

Its collection includes dozens of DeLavy’s original paintings and hundreds of photographs documenting the local Spanish villages and Indian pueblos, many of which have been mounted on posterboard. The historical society also collects archival documents, genealogies and family histories, bound volumes for its library, and maps. Its all-volunteer staff includes Martha Liebert, who acts as the archivist, and Dirk van Hart, who has been single-handedly digitizing the society’s photographs. Many of these photos are themselves copies of family pictures belonging to the local people, who often burn the originals after the deaths of those depicted. Often, the Sandoval County Historical Society retains the only images witnessing to the Spanish or Indian heritage of the surrounding families. The posters that illustrate this heritage travel to local schools and service organizations to educate and instill pride in today’s Sandoval County residents.

Last Tuesday, about fifteen volunteers with AIC’s Angels Project joined the society’s volunteers to begin the task of organizing and re-housing its maps, oil paintings, and archives. One team hauled the paintings from their storage closet, where they had been stored in groups in large plastic bags, and rewrapped them individually where necessary. Another team gathered the rolled maps for flattening and rehousing in a map case. A third team, which included me, gathered the society’s most-used archival documents and transferred them from acidic bankers’ boxes to new folders and polyethylene sleeves in alkaline boxes.

As is often the case with Angels Projects, we worked with few tools and a narrow assortment of supplies. We were forced to be creative, and to make efficient use of the short time we were given. The team rehousing the paintings lined them up against the walls and selected the most vulnerable images–for example, those without frames–to wrap in paper. They then returned the paintings to their storage closet, ensuring that no canvases were in danger of denting or stretching. Without a humidity chamber, the map team resorted to mechanical flattening, using stones in polyethylene sandwich bags as weights. Over the course of the morning and afternoon, they gradually unrolled and rehoused all of the society’s rolled maps, which are now stored flat in a dedicated case.

In the archives team, faced with mountains of paper, photos, and newspaper clippings, we debated about how we could be of most use. Should we start an Excel database of each folder? Each item? Should we attempt to reunite loose materials with the folders where they belonged? Where should we start? And how could we include the society’s volunteers, who were desperate to help? Eventually, we decided to begin with the most used materials, and to spend our time removing staples, paper clips, and sticky notes. We rehoused items that had been fastened together in polyethylene sleeves, and we moved sticky notes to sheets of acid-free interleaving folded around the originals. When folders were overstuffed, we subdivided them into new archival folders, and we kept records of the types of materials found in each folder.

More importantly, we sat down with the volunteers and gave them a basic overview of archival maintenance. We explained how fasteners and sticky notes can damage paper and photos in the long term, and offered suggestions for their removal and replacement. We also discussed possible options for cataloging the collection and for storing and backing up its digital images. All afternoon–after a delicious home-cooked lunch of deviled eggs, enchiladas, salads, cakes, and pies provided by the volunteers–we worked side by side to improve the housing and organization of the society’s archives.

Volunteers rehouse the Sandoval County Historical Society archives.

The day was a tremendous success, and we all left feeling that we had made a big difference. The work was a reminder that sometimes we need to set aside our conservation ideals–the clean benches, the lab coats, the high-tech gear and the high-brow jargon–for simple conversations. We need to explain what we do and why, in plain language, without condescension. We need to empower other cultural caretakers to do whatever they can for their collections. In short, we need to make colleagues and friends.

Like all Angels Projects, the work with the Sandoval County Historical Society opened a short window in which to build long-lasting connections. We helped its volunteers preserve their own cultural heritage, whether they are rehousing their collections themselves or calling a conservator for advice, guidance, or to undertake a complex treatment. Next year, be an Angel! It might be the best outreach project you’ll ever undertake.

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – Angels Project at Sandoval County Historical Society

On Tuesday May 8, a group of 13 conservation professionals visited the Sandoval County Historical Society (SCHS) to assist SCHS volunteers in several preservation projects for the 2012 Angels Project as part of AIC’s 40^th Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, NM.

SCHS is located just outside of Albuquerque, in Bernalillo, and was established in 1977 to collect and preserve the history of Sandoval County. The collections include photo and paper archives, paintings, and maps. This slide show shows some images from the photo archives.

We were warmly received by SCHS with baked goods and coffee and after an orientation of the collections and the history of the Historical Society, we split into teams and began tackling different projects, including:

– Rolled Maps: unrolling and flattening of the maps and re-housing in map cases

– Painting storage: cleaning the shelves and wrapping the unframed paintings for additional protection

– Photo and paper archives: basic inventory of archive contents, hardware removal, re-housing fragile or unprotected items in archival sleeves and folders

In all of these activities, Angels Project volunteers worked alongside SCHS volunteers so that this work could be continued and maintained in the future. In addition, paper conservator Renée Wolcott spent some time speaking with the SCHS volunteers about conservation and basic preservation activities, and answered their questions about environment, pest management and other preservation concerns.

It was rewarding to see so many volunteers from the community that day who obviously care deeply about the Historical Society, its collections, and the importance of SCHS to the people of Bernalillo and the surrounding communities. Jason Church did a great job documenting the project-look for his photos on the AIC Flickr site.

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting – Colleagues Mix & Mingle at the Opening Reception, May 9

The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History was the backdrop for the opening reception of this year’s Annual Meeting. The large open spaces of the museum, the lovely outdoor garden and the spacious outdoor theater and patio provided a great space for us to catch up with colleagues and meet new ones, while enjoying good food and viewing the museum’s collection on a beautiful Albuquerque evening.

The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, location of the opening reception

The reception is in full swing in the main entrance hall of the museum.

Quartets, made up of musicians from a local school, entertained guests at different locations in and outside the museum.

Lots of delicious food was served (the crab cakes were my favorite!)

This poor man seems to have been waiting a long time for his drink.

Dessert (in the form of different varieties of mini cupcakes) was served in the sculpture garden.

AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting, Revisiting Suction Table 101: Getting the Most from Your Table, Workshop by Robin Hodgson. May 8, 2012

Anyone who has seen either an RH Conservation Engineering tool or met Robin Hodgson in person will first be hit with a sense of inimitable style, and then realize what precision and detail underlies that surface. I’m not sure when I realized Robin gave workshops, but found myself quite jealous of some lucky student’s write up of theirs – probably at Winterthur some time ago. Writing from the perspective of a book and paper conservator of some 15+ years, I have worked in a number of labs with a variety of inherited suction equipment and tools ranging from the crafty conservator lab-made early designs, to Rube Goldbergian attachments, and early production models from Museum Services Corporation. Many inventive conservators have created interesting adaptations and and suggested designs along the way. Facing mechanical burnout on my current table that served my lab well for many years, I have been realizing that it is not enough to simply think the mechanicals are the only variable that cause a table or tool to work well – often the operator needs an upgrade too! With this in mind, I joined the workshop hoping to get some better understanding of the systems available and how they are used most efficiently.

Robin is a practicing conservator of wooden objects and furniture in Australia, and strove to develop a new range of tools after parting from conservation school, investing at least 5 years in product research development and design. While RH Conservation Engineering is one well known brand, a great effort was made in the workshop to discuss designs from other manufacturers with a non-competitive tone. In fact, Robin’s kind words for colleagues in the same market and openness to their work and innovations was a great pleasure, because this spoke more clearly to the participants’ needs for working and getting the best out of their current machines.

To a mixed audience of paintings, objects, textile and book, paper and archives conservators, Robin presented the technology and factor variables behind and the differences between such tools as hot lining suction tables, cold tables, and high pressure small machines such as fritted disc or other spot vacuums. This was extra useful from my perspective, to hear how different specialties approach the use of these. Hot lining tables were not traditionally part of my toolbox, but as book and paper, and especially photograph technology changes in contemporary art, I think we will be seeing more use and adaptation of these tools across specialties in the future and so found it exceptionally useful to understand the difference.

I was expecting more terrifying charts, graphs and calculations (perhaps a hangover from my training in interpreting HVAC controls, ASHRAE standards and hygrometric charts), but Robin sensibly minimized the use of complex physics and presented clean design/engineering specifications that showed the essential workflow of these types of machines, and where they can go wrong, or be improved. Some relative terms were discussed to better understand the language used in atmospheric pressure (hectopascals (hPa), (inHg), millibars (mb) and torr) so that participants could navigate from one manufacturer’s machine or country’s standard to another. Simple concepts and familiar tools (home vacuums) were used to relate comparable pressures available based on the sizes of the suction device.

Robin answered the participants’ many questions readily without needing to cut into the planned time for the hands-on workshop, especially considering my many probing questions, since blogging for others was on my mind! In retrospect, I now wish I had asked more about the workings of dipole and blower motors, horsepower, and how modular one can get with components. I certainly did get my money’s worth and look forward to improving performance on my table and devices when I get back to the lab, and recommend this workshop to any starting or mid-career or long time conservator.

Some links that may be of interest:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/3179681

www.rhconservationeng.com/

http://jeffpeachey.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/thin-profile-suction-platen/

http://www.museumservicescorporation.com/equip.html

www.willard.co.uk/suction-equipment

http://universityproducts.ecomm-search.com/search?keywords=suction&submit.x=0&submit.y=0

Paintings Specialty Group Reception at AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting

Attention all Paintings Specialty Group Student Members! PSG has raised funds for all of their student members presently registered for the AIC meeting in Albuquerque to attend the PSG reception on Thursday May 10. PSG is working out a way to notify students who will be receiving a ticket for the reception in their registration packet. Unfortunately, for those who are not yet registered, and for those who are not currently PSG Student Members, free tickets will not be provided this year. Additionally, if there are any PSG Student Members who do not need a ticket to the reception (such as those who have found their own sponsors), please notify Katrina Bartlett (kbartlett [at] menil [dot] org) to help ensure that other Student Members who need/want tickets can get them.

CSCP luncheon at the AIC’s 40th Annual Meeting

Linking the Environment and Heritage Conservation: Presentations, Discussions, & Tips

Wednesday May 9th 2012
Noon-2PM
Buffet lunch is included in the ticket price
Tickets: $8.00 each

The AIC Committee on Sustainable Conservation Practice has organized a lunch session at AIC’s annual meeting with two keynote speakers in environmental conservation and four tips on art and heritage conservation. The keynote speakers will give an overview of current essential issues in environmental conservation and how they relate to the conservation field. They will also address practical issues concerning materials and solvent use, and will discuss green chemistry. There is ample time aside for an engaged, educational discussion session.

Keynote Speakers

Braden Allenby, PhD

Sustainability and conservation of the human past

Sustainability Scientist, Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University. Lincoln Professor of Engineering and Ethics, School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Director, Center for Earth Systems Engineering and Management

Matt Eckelmann, PhD

Environmental considerations in art conservation

Assistant Professor, Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University

Tips Session

Jia-sun Tang

Retrofit of existing exhibition cases to conservation standards: a close collaboration between conservators and fabricators at the Smithsonian Institution

Museum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution

Christian Hernandez

Thinking and acting green: a case study of the rehousing of a collection of footwear from the Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)

Patty Silence

How we reduced energy costs and maintained an excellent collections environment

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Eliza Gilligan

Electrodeionization as a sustainable and practical option for treatment water

University of Virginia

Discussion Panel

Led by Michael Henry, PE, AIA, Watson & Henry Associates, Preservation Architects & Engineers

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This session is coordinated by AIC’s Committee on Sustainable Conservation Practice. For more information, visit www.conservation-us.org/sustainability