Tag: Cultural Heritage

45th Annual Meeting – Sustainability, May 31, “Students for Sustainability in Conservation” by Caitlin Southwick

This talk was something I was super excited about since I am an emerging conservator myself. Having this type of platform for students and professionals in the field of conservation is something that will strengthen the communication about sustainability within the conservation world. Caitlin Southwick was such an animated speaker and really brought what she wanted to discuss to life. Southwick is a MA Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage student at the University of Amsterdam specializing in glass, ceramics, and stone. Through her many achievements and degrees in her art conservation education, it has spread to the conservation of the world around her.  There are resources for large scale initiatives, but how as a student can she make her practice more sustainable?

The Sustainability in Conservation: Student Ambassador Program (SiC), formerly known as the Students for Sustainability in Conservation (SSiC), will help conservators, conservation treatments and labs become more ecofriendly on a smaller scale. One way Southwick has started this ecofriendly wave is with the recycling of nitrile gloves. The RightCycle Program is on a trial run at the University of Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. This program is a propriety program from Kimberly-Clark Professional, which offers a range of high quality gloves under the KIMTECH brand that meet conservator’s needs. Nitrile gloves cannot be recycled the same way as other plastics due to their chemical makeup. Once nitrile glove recycling bin is full, the bin is picked up through the RightCycle program. The gloves are then broken down to a powder using cryogenic processes that make new ecofriendly products such as patio furniture.

Sustainability in Conservation has a wonderful website and can be found on Facebook as well as Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This is where the conservation community can ask questions about how they can make their practices and labs more environmentally conscious. There are SiC researchers ready to help find the answers you are looking for when you do not have the time to research in depth. Southwick and her team want to help bring these findings to you. As Southwick stated during her presentation, these are the steps “to address the issue of sustainability in a comprehensive and clear way.”

In her bio, she explains how she “hopes to continue conservation and make saving the cultural heritage also about saving the planet.” I definitely know she will be a strong voice in the conservation world about conservation practices as well as how to practice saving the environment through programs like RightCycle. Her discussion at AIC was an eye-opener as to what we as conservators can do to conserve more than just what’s on our benches, but also the environment around us.  These small steps she has introduced have and will create a huge impact. Thank you for sharing your love for the world, Caitlin!

Job posting: Conservation Research Specialist 4, Yale University (West Haven, CT, USA)

STARS Requisition No. 40392BR

    • Supervisory Organization: Institute for Preservation of Cultural Heritage – Lens Media lab
    • University Job Title: Conservation Research Specialist 4, Lens Media
    • Time Type: Full-time
    • Duration Type: Fixed

Position Focus: Yale’s Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH), is dedicated to advancing innovative and sustainable practices in the field of heritage preservation. At the crossroads of science and art, the Institute is comprised of leading-edge conservation, research, and imaging laboratories.
A position is open in the IPCH Lens Media Lab, reporting to the Head of the Lens Media Lab (LML). The research goals of the LML are focused on the preservation and characterization of photographic materials with an emphasis on creating and interpreting large datasets gleaned from reference, archival, and museum collections. Building on this base, collaborations across disciplines in the humanities and sciences will be fostered to assemble and interpret datasets derived from a broad spectrum of cultural heritage materials. Through the development of data visualization methods, tools, and interfaces, meaning and impact of these data will be communicated to broad constituencies including scientists, conservators, art historians, and curators.
Working under the direction of the Head of the LML, the primary duty and responsibility is the pursuit of data-driven approaches for understanding art and cultural material. As envisioned, these approaches will be achieved through image and signal processing techniques used in combination with machine learning methods. The principal dataset will be derived from quantitative and qualitative measurements made from the LML’s reference collection of photographic papers combined with data from prints made by important 20th century photographers held by leading collecting institutions. Other datasets, including those derived from art/artifact storage and display environments (made using low power sensors and other IoT methods) will also be contemplated.
Essential Duties

  • Assemble, specify, design, and construct hardware for measuring the physical and chemical properties of works of art and artifacts.
  • Perform image processing, algorithm development, data visualization, and the application of data science principles (statistics, clustering, and pattern recognition) to structured and unstructured datasets.
  • Assist in the creation of software interfaces and computing platforms to promote humanities-based research.
  • May manage projects and/or serve as a team leader; may supervise or mentor fellows, interns and/or students.
  • Coordinates the involvement of Yale or external specialists in select projects and utilizes on-campus user facilities as necessary.
  • May organize workshops, prepare and deliver professional presentations, write papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
  • Performs some instrument and laboratory maintenance.
  • May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience
Education
Master’s Degree in a related and four years’ experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience
1. Ability to specify, design, and develop hardware for measuring physical and mechanical properties of works of art and artifacts, with an emphasis on imaging techniques and low power sensor networks.
2. Knowledge of the theory and practice of areas such as: image processing, algorithm interpretation and design, machine learning techniques, signal processing, and data science.
3. Demonstrated ability to assess large datasets using statistical and visualization tools. Demonstrated computer coding and software development capabilities.
4. Excellent written and verbal skills, including English language fluency. Demonstrated knowledge of/interest in working with art and artifacts, including photographs. Demonstrated ability to work collegially with a wide range of staff, faculty, and student from the sciences and the humanities.
5. Demonstrated project management skills with a proven track record of completion on time. Well-developed organizational, research and analytical skills.
Preferred Education, Experience and Skills: MS in computer science or a related field (e.g. signal and image processing, data science).
Ph.D. preferred.
Check Requirements: All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. Click here for additional information on the background check requirements and process.
For more employment details and to apply, visit: https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGWebHost/jobdetails.aspx?jobId=952710&partnerid=25053&siteid=5248&codes=IINDEED
Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111, Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or Email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.