Processes, Techniques, Knowledge Areas

__Academic areas:

• anthropology
• archeology
• artifact technology
• art history
• cultural history
• science - general and organic chemistry, biology, environmental studies/weather science
• studio arts and crafts
• business
• writing
• languages

__Physical/chemical properties of materials
__Ethics and philosophy of conservation
__Conservation research methods:

• radiography
• statistics
• experimental design
• aging
• physical testing
• library research methods

__Financial aspects of materials
__Processes of examination, analysis, stabilization, treatment
__Dendrochronology (wood dating)
__Materials areas:

• photography
• wood
• paper
• textiles
• library materials
• paintings
• natural science collections
• anthropological/historical/decorative/art objects of all materials
  

__Photography conservation:

• surface cleaning
• binder layer consolidating
• humidifying and flattening tightly rolled panoramas
• bathing
• mending of tears and damages to paper supports
• inpainting of disfiguring losses
  

__Furniture conservation:

• stabilization of structural components and veneered surfaces
• reapplication of surface coatings
• replacing lost finials by carving/casting
• joinery (mortise and tenon, dovetailing)
• surface treatment and detailing (inlay/veneer, decorative carving)
• three-dimensional shaping (lathe-turning, basic carving)
• tool maintenance and use (general care and sharpening, honing)
  

__Library and archive materials:

• treating rare books and manuscripts
• making book boxes and protective enclosures
• implementing library preservation programs (library binding, microfilming, general collection repair)
  

__Paper conservation:

• surface cleaning
• attachment removal
• stain reduction
• mends and hinges
• pulp fills
• paper inserts
• bathing and drying paper
  

__Objects conservation:

• metal, ceramics, glass, stone, organic materials
• nature of materials
• fabrication and manufacture
• mechanisms of deterioration
• means of remedial and preventive conservation

Materials, Equipment, Technology

__Analytical lab tests:

• x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF)
• Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR)
• reflected and transmitted ultra-violet visible spectroscopy (UV/VIS)
• gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
• x-ray diffraction (XRD)
• scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive analysis (EDS)
• metallographic examination
  

__Photography conservation materials:

• salted paper
• albumen
• silver gelatin
• platinum
• contemporary color processes

__Furniture: metal, plastic, wood, resin, laminate, joinery, finishes
__Conservation photography:

• 4x5 b&w
• ultraviolet
• 35mm color slide
• infra-red reflectography
• digital
  

__Painting conservation cleaning systems:

• solvent gels
• resin soaps
• enzymes
• aqueous cleaning formulations