Email digest for the Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList) egroup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Seeking nominations or self-nominations for candidates to stand for election for the Assistant Program Chair of the Research & Technical Studies specialty group 2. AIC 2025 Annual Meeting – Several Ways to be Part of the Story 3. Cultural Heritage Image Registration Survey 4. RE: Crystals on artefacts in showcases 5. Postgraduate courses on Conservation of Photographic Materials 6. Cambo motorized copy stand 7. Reposting - Job Announcement: Archaeological Conservator ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1.From: Abed Haddad Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 8:08 AM Subject: Seeking nominations or self-nominations for candidates to stand for election for the Assistant Program Chair of the Research & Technical Studies specialty group Message: Dear AIC and RATS community, The Nominating Committee seeks nominations or self-nominations for candidates to stand for election for the position of Assistant Program Chair of the Research & Technical Studies (RATS) specialty group beginning in June 2025. This is a four-year chair track role: Year 1: Assistant Program Chair, Year 2: Program Chair, Year 3: Group Chair, Year 4: Chair Emeritus. The role requires attendance at the Annual Meeting during tenure, and support is available through AIC to facilitate attendance if needed. Year 1: Assistant Program Chair The Assistant Program Chair supports the Program Chair in organizing the Annual Meeting. Responsibilities include: • Assisting in reviewing abstracts, organizing sessions, and chairing discussions. • Preparing to transition into the Program Chair role the following year. • Participating in conference calls at the request of the Program Chair and/or Chair. • Attending the AIC Annual Meeting and moderating sessions during the meeting. • Judging the Big Cheese Poster Award with the Program Chair and Chair. • Participating in the RATS Business Meeting at the AIC Annual Meeting. • Assisting in planning joint reception with other specialty group officer(s) for the AIC Annual Meeting. • May attend the AIC Internal Advisory Board (IAG) Meeting at the request of the RATS Chair under special circumstances. Time commitment varies per month, and busy periods include abstract review (August through mid-October) and the weeks before the Annual Meeting (April-May). Year 2: Program Chair The Program Chair is responsible for all aspects of RATS programming at the AIC Annual Meeting, including: • Heading abstract review committee for the Annual Meeting. • Coordinating RATS sessions, joint sessions, and receptions. • Working with AIC on scheduling, space/AV needs, and catering. • Liaising with speakers, updating them, and answering questions, including scheduling group calls prior to the Annual Meeting. • Leading sessions by managing talk uploads, moderating discussions, and ensuring timekeeping. • Mentoring the Assistant Program Chair. • Judging the Big Cheese Poster Award with the Assistant Program Chair and Chair. • Coordinating with the RATS Postprints Editor to ensure timely publication. • Facilitating additional programming such as roundtable discussions, lunches, and workshops. • Scheduling moderators for sessions and providing necessary speaker information. • Sending email announcements to members about RATS programming related to the Annual Meeting and relevant deadlines. Time commitment varies per month. Busy times include the abstract review period (August through mid-October), the weeks before the Annual Meeting (April-May), and the Meeting itself (mid-late May). Year 3: Chair The Group Chair oversees all RATS activities and responsibilities, including: • Coordinating strategic initiatives such as governance updates and committee formations. • Serving as the primary liaison with the AIC Board and Staff. • Writing RATS updates for the AIC Newsletter (twice per year). • Advising the Program Chair. • Handling inquiries from the AIC Board and Officers. • Participating in Specialty Group calls and the Internal Advisory Board Meeting. • Submitting required reports and updates to the AIC Board. • Running the Annual Business Meeting, planning the agenda, and ensuring reports are distributed. • Acting as spokesperson for RATS. • Attending the AIC Annual Meeting and participating in RATS-related sessions. • Judging the Big Cheese Poster Award with the Program Chair and Assistant Program Chair. • Adjusting and updating RATS Operating Guidelines and transition documents. Time commitment varies per month. Busy times include the abstract review period (August through mid-October), the weeks before the Annual Meeting (April-May), and the Meeting itself (mid-late May). Special activities may require significant time commitment depending on the size of the activity or project. Year 4: Chair Emeritus The Chair Emeritus provides continuity and guidance, including: • Answering questions for the executive committee about past activities and policies. • Serving as head of the Nominating Committee during their term and as a committee member for one year following their term. • Responding to urgent RATS business and attending the Internal Advisory Group (IAG) Meeting at the request of the RATS Chair under special circumstances. Time commitment varies per month, with the most significant time commitment during the election season early each calendar year. Requirements Active AIC and RATS Membership (RATS membership can be added upon election; all are welcome). Contact for Questions: Abed Haddad ([email protected]), Chair Emeritus Deadline March 31st, 2025 How to Apply Submit nominations via the Application Portal: https://www.culturalheritage.org/membership/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities ------------------------------ Abed Haddad Assistant Conservation Scientist The Museum of Modern Art New York, NY ------------------------------ 2.From: Ruth Seyler Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 8:09 AM Subject: AIC 2025 Annual Meeting – Several Ways to be Part of the Story Message: The 2025 AIC Annual Meeting to be held May 27-31 in Minneapolis at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis is fast approaching. Explore the over 200 talks encompassing all aspects of conservation centered around the theme of "What's Your Story – The Power of Collaborations and Connections <https://www.culturalheritage.org/events/annual-meeting/current-meeting/hotel>. Discover how conservation professionals make and nurture partnerships to preserve artifacts so that they can tell their story to the next generation. View the conference schedule here <https://www.culturalheritage.org/events/annual-meeting/current-meeting/program> and start building your personal viewing plan today. There are three ways that you can attend the conference this year: Register as an in-person attendee and join the over 750 of your colleagues who have already registered. As an in-person attendee you will benefit from: All the networking opportunities from group receptions, lunches and experiencing thought-provoking sessions together · The many "informal" networking opportunities from catching up with people you have not seen since grad school to that serendipitous hotel elevator conservation that turns into a lifelong friend · An amazing line-up of pre-session offerings – arrive early to take a workshop and/or take a tour to experience more of what Minneapolis has to offer. · The AIC exhibit hall – the largest north American gathering of conservation suppliers – discover what new products and new insights await at each booth · Experience our host hotel – the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis <https://www.culturalheritage.org/events/annual-meeting/current-meeting/hotel> at a special AIC rate of $189 · All in-person attendees will receive access to the full conference recordings until October 31, 2025. All sessions are now available to every attendee – no more worrying about which talk to hear in-person and which one you will have to miss. Register as a virtual attendee and enjoy two different ways to experience the Annual Meeting from home or work. AIC will be live-streaming and recording all the General and Specialty sessions. As a virtual attendee you will have the option to: · Attend sessions of your choice live and be able to ask questions during the Q/A. You can block the full or part of each conference day in your schedule and immerse yourself in all things Annual Meeting! · If your time zone, work or family schedules, or style of learning don't mesh with an all-day experience, we post the recording of each talk in the portal for virtual attendees about four hours after it is presented. You can view the recordings at the best time for you. You will have access to the recordings until October 31, 2025. Even if you can only take 1 or 2 hours a week for professional development – you can attend the 2025 AIC Annual Meeting! · Mix and match both viewing styles to create your own AIC Annual Meeting experience. We realize most people prefer to attend conferences in-person, but we recognize that it is not always possible. This is why AIC has invested in the virtual option, so that we can make the conference available to all. Register <https://www.culturalheritage.org/events/annual-meeting/current-meeting/register/refund-policy> as either an in-person or virtual attendee by April 1, 2025 and take advantage of the Advanced rate and be entered into a contest to win a free 2026 Annual Meeting registration. Already registered? You will be automatically entered into the contest. We look forward to seeing you in Minneapolis or you seeing us online. ------------------------------ Ruth Seyler Meetings & Advocacy Director American Institute for Conservation and Foundation for Advancement in Conservation Washington United States ------------------------------ 3.From: Katherine Sephton Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 8:10 AM Subject: Cultural Heritage Image Registration Survey Message: Have you ever attempted to align images acquired using different imaging techniques (e.g. different image modalities) and where the image resolution varies, as a part of a cultural heritage analysis of a painting or object? Whether you align detailed images to a larger reference image, or mosaic images together to make a whole composite image, we would like to hear about your workflow. By taking part in this survey, you are helping improve the understanding of the challenges currently present in the cultural heritage community regarding image registration for my PhD project in collaboration with Imperial College London and The National Gallery, London. This project aims to improve the automation and efficiency of multi-modal image alignment by creating user-friendly tools, capable of handling images of varying resolutions. The resulting software from this project will carry out this essential first step to allow users to exploit the wealth of information contained within multimodal images and datasets now being generated within the heritage sector, whether by visual inspection or advanced signal processing approaches. Please note that this survey will not store any personal data other than any responses you provide. Alternatively, please feel free to contact me by email: [email protected] or on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katherine-sephton-010788173 if you would like to expand on your answers or keep in touch with the project. Microsoft Forms <https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=B3WJK4zudUWDC0-CZ8PTB22I6mI4fTtGh3R9pEZ32rpUQ09ZVkZCT05CVUUxWUkyUFFDSVJVQUZIRC4u> Office remove preview Microsoft Forms View this on Office > <https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=B3WJK4zudUWDC0-CZ8PTB22I6mI4fTtGh3R9pEZ32rpUQ09ZVkZCT05CVUUxWUkyUFFDSVJVQUZIRC4u> ------------------------------ Katherine Sephton PhD Researcher The National Gallery London United Kingdom ------------------------------ 4.From: George Wheeler Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 3:40 PM Subject: RE: Crystals on artefacts in showcases Message: Gerard's review is an excellent article. You can add another possible but not common efflorescence - ammonium carnalite - see Wheeler and Wypyski Studies in Conservation 1993. it probably derives from using HCl to remove carbonate/clay deposits followed by neutralization with ammonia. ------------------------------ George Wheeler Senior Scientist Highbridge Materials Consulting, Inc. New York United States ------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- Original Message: Sent: 03-12-2025 05:43 From: Gerhard Eggert Subject: Crystals on artefacts in showcases Dear Ms. Segelstein, interesting case! Is that ceramics your crystals are growing on? We have seen similar looking growth of various calcium acetate phases on ceramics and calcareous materials, see our review paper at ICOM-CC Beijing, download from https://www.icom-cc-publications-online.org/4463 <https://www.icom-cc-publications-online.org/4463> Get a sample analysed with X-ray powder diffraction (If you have no one at hand, you can send it to us). Please notify me of the outcome! Gerhard Eggert gerhard.eggert(at)abk-stuttgart.de Institute of Conservation Sciences Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design Original Message: Sent: 3/10/2025 9:19:00 PM From: Ariane Segelstein Subject: Crystals on artefacts in showcases Dear colleagues, At Heritage Conservation Centre (Singapore) we are facing crystals growth on an artefact inside a showcase. In museums, crystals have been reported in few cases, from 2006 with thanks to the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) and the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston). After analysis, the Rijksmuseum and the MFA found the same pollutant compound. We found something different. And you, do you have crystals issue ? Please contact us to share with HCC team. We can start a review of these cases to help the conservation community to understand these phenomena, preventive measures and remedial treatments. ------------------------------ Ariane Segelstein Senior Conservator Heritage Conservation Centre Singapore ------------------------------ 5.From: Andrea Gutierrez Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 3:41 PM Subject: Postgraduate courses on Conservation of Photographic Materials Message: Good morning, I am a cultural heritage restorer and conservator with experience in library and archival materials. I am interested in the conservation and restoration of photographic materials and would like to know if you know of any postgraduate courses (hopefully a master's degree) focused on this topic. I have already taken online courses (including Gawain Weaver's Care and Identification of Photographs), but I would very much like to go deeper into this topic. Thank you all for your comments. ANDREA CAROLINA GUTIÉRREZ Restauradora de Bienes Muebles Biblioteca Luis Ángel Arango Bogotá, Colombia ------------------------------ Andrea Gutierrez Conservator Biblioteca Luis Angel Arango Bogotá Colombia ------------------------------ 6.From: Rachel Mochon Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 3:41 PM Subject: Cambo motorized copy stand Message: Hi all, We are thinking of purchasing this Cambo RPS-255 motorized copy stand <https://www.cambo.com/en/products/repro-archival-solutions/rps-copy-stands/copy-stands/rps-255-motorised-copy-stand> with an arm extension and a removable panel for a LED light panel. Has anyone used this equipment and have any feedback on it? Feel free to respond to me individually or in the forum. Thanks, Rachel ------------------------------ Rachel Mochon Paper Conservator Harry Ransom Center University of Texas at Austin [email protected] ------------------------------ 7.From: Nichole Doub Posted: Thursday March 13, 2025 6:00 PM Subject: Reposting - Job Announcement: Archaeological Conservator Message: The recruitment window has been extended through April 13th! Job Announcement: Archaeological Conservator Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab) Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum Maryland Historical Trust The Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory (MAC Lab), located at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum (JPPM), is seeking a full-time, permanent Archaeological Conservator to join our team. JPPM, an agency of the Maryland Historical Trust, is situated on 560 scenic acres along the Patuxent River in Calvert County, Maryland. As the State Museum of Archaeology, JPPM serves as a hub for regional and statewide archaeological research. Position Overview The Archaeological Conservator will be responsible for examining and documenting artifacts, conducting analytical tests, preparing treatment proposals, and performing both mechanical and chemical conservation treatments. The role also includes packaging and mounting artifacts for transport, storage, or display, as well as submitting reports to fulfill contractual obligations and support revenue-generating projects. Compensation & Benefits Salary: $59,557/yearFull state benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plan, and paid leave (10 vacation days, 6 personal days, 11 holidays, and 15 sick days per year).How to Apply Interested candidates must apply through the Maryland JobAps website <https://www.jobapscloud.com/MD/sup/bulpreview.asp?b=&R1=25&R2=005408&R3=0001>. -- Nichole Doub Head Conservator Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory 10515 Mackall Road Saint Leonard, MD 20685 410-586-8577 Pronouns: she, her, hers You are subscribed to "Global Conservation Forum (ConsDistList)" as [email protected]. To change your subscriptions, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/preferences?section=Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to http://community.culturalheritage.org/HigherLogic/eGroups/Unsubscribe.aspx?UserKey=d16eaa87-0f69-494b-9f2f-303dbc1222e1&sKey=fab9aa4f27a04c5d876e&GroupKey=757a8f16-505f-4323-8e74-e376757aa9f7.
