Museum Conservation Institute (MCI)
Robert J. Koestler, Director
The Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) serves as the center for specialized technical collections research and conservation for all Smithsonian museums and collections. MCI combines knowledge of materials and the history of technology with state-of-the-art instrumentation and scientific techniques to provide technical research studies and interpretation of artistic, anthropological, biological, and historical objects and collections. Through its umbrella Healthy Environments, Healthy Practices, Healthy Collections initiative, MCI responds to the threats of environmental instabilities to cultural heritage in multiple and complex ways, including researching material degradation mechanisms, setting scientifically-based storage and display conditions, and developing and using less-invasive and less-damaging materials and procedures for collection conservation.
Priority research areas include:
Proteomics— gathering more information on the origin and condition of collections, cultural objects, and biological specimens from their protein materials
Modern museum and industrial materials—understanding the sustainability of modern materials to improve their preservation and conservation
Life in art and collections—detecting and controlling insects and microbes causing biodeterioration and mitigating the adverse consequences of historic bio-control, including toxic pesticide residues on collections
Imaging and nanotechnology—bringing new spectroscopic imaging and nanotechnologies to bear on collections to further understanding of composition, deterioration, and preservation
Historical technical studies—deriving meaning from collections through analysis with state-of-the-art instruments
MCI laboratories, located in the Museum Support Center in Suitland, MD., are equipped with advanced analytical instrumentation including: variety of mass spectrometers to analyze protein structure and function, stable isotope mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, Fourier transform Raman spectrometry, dispersive Raman spectrometry, gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry, micro-X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray radiography, ultraviolet-visible light spectrophotometry, 3-D microscopy, and 3-D color scanning documentation, (http://www.si.edu/mci/english/about_mci/facilities/index.html).
Internships may be available for conservation or science students at various levels of accomplishment, including recent graduates of academic training institutions. Postdoctoral fellowships may become available for research in collaboration with MCI staff on projects in our priority research areas. For further details on these opportunities and application procedures, please see the introduction to this book.
RESEARCH STAFF
BALLARD, Mary W., Senior Textiles Conservator. B.A. (1971) Wellesley College; M.A. and Diploma in Conservation (1979) Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. Research specialties: Textile preservation and technical studies, particularly the light fading of dyes on fabrics; textile cleaning methods; and the biodeterioration of textiles.
CHAROLA, Asuncion Elena, Research Scientist. Ph.D. (1974) Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina. Research specialties: Inorganic Porous Building Materials, their deterioration and conservation; Heritage Sites Conservation and Management.
DEPRIEST, Paula T., Deputy Director. B.A. (1978) Union University; M.S. (1983) University of Tennessee; Ph.D. (1992) Duke University. Research specialties: Systematics and evolution of lichens, coevolution of lichen-forming fungi and algae, lichen flora of northern Mongolia, traditional uses of lichens and plants by the reindeer herding Dukha.
DOUGLAS, Janet G., Conservation Scientist. B.A. (1978) James Madison University; M.A. (1980) Bryn Mawr College. Research specialties: Technical studies on works of art and archaeology using scientific methods, inorganic materials such as stone, jade and metal; Materials characterization of geological materials.
FRANCE, Christine A., Physical Scientist. B.S. (2001) University of Maryland; M.S. (2004) North Carolina State University; Ph.D. (2008) University of Maryland. Research specialties: stable isotopic applications to paleontology, archeology, and ancient environments; diagenesis of fossil remains.
GRISSOM, Carol A., Senior Objects Conservator. B.A. (1970) Wellesley College; M.A. (1974) Oberlin College. Research specialties: Sculpture in bronze, stone, zinc, plaster, and wood.
JOHNSON, Jessica S., Head of Conservation. B.A. (1978) University of Kansas; M.A. (1986) University of Arizona; B.Sc. (1990) University College London, Institute of Archaeology. Research specialties: Archaeological and ethnographic conservation; conservation and development.
KACZKOWSKI, Rebecca, Preventive Conservator. B.A. (2006) The George Washington University; M.A. (2010) The George Washington University; M.S. (2014) University of Delaware. Research specialties: Preventive conservation of cultural heritage materials, including exhibit and storage environments and materials compatibility; preservation and conservation of natural science collections.
KAVICH, Gwénaëlle, Conservation Scientist. BSc. Chemistry (2002) Nottingham Trent University, U.K.; Ph.D. (2006) University of Pisa, Italy. Research specialties: Technical Studies and scientific multidisciplinary characterization of materials and their degradation products from paintings and other artifacts of the cultural heritage.
KOESTLER, Robert J., Director. B.S. (1972) SUNY Stony Brook; M.A. (1977) CUNY Hunter College; M.Ph. (1983), Ph.D. (1985) CUNY City College. Research specialties: conservation science and collections preservation.
LITTLE, Nicole C., Physical Scientist. B.A. (2001), M.A. (2005) University of Missouri. Research specialties: Chemical analysis of museum objects using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.
MADDEN, Odile M., Research Scientist. B.A. (1993) University of California, Los Angeles; M.A. (2001) New York University; Ph.D. (2010) University of Arizona. Research specialties: Conservation science; Technology and preservation of 20th century polymer composites (plastics); Pesticide residues on museum collections; Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS); Artifact materials of animal origin; Application of laser technologies to the study and treatment of art and artifacts.
ROGALA, Dawn V., Paintings Conservator. B.F.A. (1989) Boston University; M.A./C.A.S. (2006) Buffalo State College/State University of New York; Ph.D. (2014) University of Delaware. Research specialties: Technical study of paintings and paint materials from all periods, with a particular interest in modern and contemporary artworks. The analysis, documentation, and study of modern artists’ materials. Artist materials archives.
TSANG, Jia-Sun, Senior Paintings Conservator. M.S. (1974) Bowling Green State University; M.S. (1985) University of Delaware. Research specialties: Conservation of paintings on canvas, on wood, on metal, or on paper and including mixed media and murals.
VICENZI, Edward P., Research Scientist. B.Sc. (1982) McGill University; M.S. (1985) University of Oregon; Ph.D. (1991) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Research specialties: Advanced chemical microanalysis of museum specimens.
WEBB, E. Keats, Digital Imaging Specialist B.F.A. (2007), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Research specialties: Uses a number of imaging techniques to document and help understand the nature of cultural heritage materials. These imaging techniques include reflectance transformation imaging, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging (including IR and UV), photogrammetry and high dynamic range imaging.