Workshop on enzymes

Enzymes Workshop for Conservators

The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic
Works, in partnership with the Smithsonian Center for Materials
Research and Education and the Preservation and Conservation Studies
Program, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, The
University of Texas at Austin presents a lecture/workshop series on
"Enzymes and their Use in Conservation," July 23-25, 2002, at the
Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education in Suitland,
Maryland.  The instructor is Hal Erickson of the Preservation and
Conservation Studies program of the University of Texas at Austin.

This three-day course is designed to update mid-career conservators
on the nature, properties, and use of enzymes used to break down
adhesives on paper that have become insoluble because of
cross-linking.  The course consists of an introductory day of
lectures on enzymes, including overviews of prerequisite concepts,
followed by two days of morning lectures on specific classes of
enzymes, capped by afternoon workshops focused on testing and
optimizing enzyme activity on cross-linked adhesives.

Participants will gain an understanding of amylase, protease, lipase
and chitinase enzymes that will aid them in evaluating adhesive
residues and matching enzymes to types of adhesives requiring
removal, as well as how to select, order, test and use enzymes in
treatment.

Hal Erickson is a biophysical chemist specializing in conservation
science at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has taught
the conservation science curriculum for the last eight years.  One
of his current research areas involves reducing the rather complex
subject of protease enzyme usage to the same level of distillation
as his earlier work with amylases.  This work will be first
presented for the first time in these lectures and workshops.
Erickson's special conservation science interests are in the areas
of enzymes, mass deacidification, novel solvent techniques, and the
relationship between fiber morphology and lignocellulosic chemistry
in the aging of paper.

The program is part of AIC's new "Current Issues" series of
workshops for mid-career conservators. The program is supported by
an endowment grant by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and by the
Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works.  The fee for the lecture series is $150 for AIC
members and $180 for non-members.  The fee for the lecture series
and laboratory sessions is $300 for AIC members and $360 for
non-members.  Enrollment is limited to 50 for the lecture series and
12 for the workshops.  Early registration is encouraged as space is
limited.  The registration deadline is June 21, 2002.

Registration forms are available at <URL:http://aic.stanford.edu>.
For further information, please contact:

    Eric Pourchot
    Program Officer for Professional Development
    American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic
        Works
    1717 K Street NW
    Suite 200
    Washington DC 20006
    202-452-9545 ext: 12
    epourchot [at] aic-faic__org


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 15:62
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 12, 2002
                       Message Id: cdl-15-62-010
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