IESL-FORTH announces the launch of a series of specialised training -by research courses on the use of laser technology in CH conservation.

These 3-month courses are mainly addressed to graduate students mid-career conservators and conservation scientists and aim to introduce advanced analytical and conservation laser methodologies to CH restoration practice in parallel to their on-going projects and interventions.

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Participants will choose to attend and get practical training on the following subjects:

• Laser cleaning interventions

• Laser structural diagnosis

• Imaging and mapping

• Laser spectroscopic analysis

and are expected during this training period to address open problems and specific challenges encountered in their current endeavours.

Guest experts will be invited to contribute on the basis of the specific needs of the assigned projects.

The course language will be English (or Greek in case of Greek participants).

A minimum laboratory fee of 5.000,00 € will be applied for a 3-month access. Any additional fees will be dependent on the specific requirement of each project.

The number of participants is restricted, while the selection of successful candidates/projects will be mostly based on their CV and motivation letter.

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Recent Training-by-Research Activities

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2015, October 05-30

Advanced laser technologies in ceramic and glass conservation; training and research on open problems and specific challenges  related  to ceramic and glass conservation practice
B. Kutergina, E. Dutova, N. Bolshakova, D. Prokuratov, 
State Hermitage Museum St Petersburg, Russia

 

2014, September 22- October 17 

Advanced laser technologies in metal conservation; training and research on open problems and specific challenges  related  to metal conservation practice
O. Senatorova, A. Karpechenkov, A. Chulin, M. Borovikova, A. Pankova, M. Subbotina 
State Hermitage Museum St Petersburg, Russia
 

Special Invited Lectures

• Bessie Argyropoulou, Professor of metal conservation, TEI of Athens, Conservation dept.

  • 29 September, “Corrosion and conservation of metals in Greece; cleaning challenges”

  • 30 September, “The FP6 EU project PROMET; the protection of metals' collections”

• Elpida Katopodi, BSc student at TEI of Athens, Conservation dept.

  • 30 September, “Laser technology for the analysis and conservation of painted metal objects”

• Amalia Siatou, MSc Chemisrty and Materials Technology, Freelance Conservator-Restorer of Antiquities & Works of Art

  • 01 October, “Manufacturing and corrosion study of excavated archaeological metal artefacts; The synergistic use of Raman Spectroscopy”

 

2014, June 1-30
1 month training and research on laser cleaning of stonework using various wavelengths
Victoria Atanassova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Bulgaria.

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COURSE DETAILS:

The course aims to provide specialised training on the use of laser technology in CH conservation through applied research on open conservation problems. Addressed to mid-career conservators and conservation scientists this series of 3-month courses will enable the hands-on experience to laboratory set-ups and prototypes of advanced laser-based conservation methodologies and analytical techniques.

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Laser Conservation Research at IESL-FORTH

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IESL-FORTH is among the leading centers worldwide for research and development of innovative laser and optical technologies for the diagnostics and conservation of works of arts and antiquities. Emphasis is placed on laser ablation methodologies for cleaning and restoration, laser spectroscopy for compositional analysis, multi spectral imaging and holographic metrology techniques for structural diagnosis.

Numerous collaborations exist between IESL-FORTH and museums or other organizations, focusing on the use of laser and optical technologies for addressing a broad spectrum of challenges in art conservation and archaeology. These collaborations have had significant technological output, for example mobile LIBS instruments for the analysis of works of art and archaeological samples, laser cleaning systems, currently in use on the Parthenon sculptures, mobile laser interferometry instruments for structural characterization of artworks and monuments and versatile imaging systems for mapping and discrimination of materials.

Furthermore, IESL-FORTH operates as a European Research Infrastructure (Ultraviolet Laser Facility, ULF-FORTH) providing access to user groups from EU states to carry out state of the art experiments. The Institute has been also very active in training of young researchers in the frame of Marie-Curie Host Fellowship Early Stage Training project such as ATLAS (Advanced Training in Laser Sciences) or ATHENA (novel scientific techniques in art and archaeology). It is also a member of the CHARISMA project of European infrastructures for CH.

 

Course Objectives

This course aims to:

• improve the knowledge and experience of conservation professionals on the applications of laser technology in CH conservation by hands-on practice

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• promote the access of conservators into laser laboratories and encourage their collaboration with laser scientists in order to further investigate their common directions

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•  illuminate complex diagnostic and restoration problems

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• disseminate the potential of laser technology in CH conservation and introduce the established analytical, diagnostic and cleaning methodologies in the everyday conservation routine

 

The course structure

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Week 1 aims to exploit the project’s requirements and to set a working plan for the following ten weeks.

Within this first week the participants will be introduced to the operation of the analytical systems and/or the specialised laser cleaning methodologies, in parallel to other critical issues such as health and safety inside the laser laboratories, data manipulation etc.

On the basis of the specific needs of the assigned projects guest experts will be invited to participate and contribute with their experience and -if necessary- their analytical knowledge and/or facilities.

At the end of this preparatory week it is expected to have a well defined working plan for the following ten weeks while critical milestones will be decided and detailed deliverables will be set.

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Weeks 2-11 will be dedicated to experimentation and data processing. A midterm evaluation is foreseen to evaluate the progress of the project and judge the fulfillment of the milestones.

In week 12 the accomplished project will be presented and discussed in public. Guest experts will be invited for the event in order to assess the project and discuss its perspectives.

 

Successful trainees will receive Certificate of Attendance