Robert J. Koestler

Dr. Robert J. Koestler was appointed the new director of the
Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education (SCMRE),
effective August 30, 2004. Dr. Koestler is a cell biologist and
electron microscopist known for his advancements in art
conservation. He brings to the Smithsonian more than 30 years of
museum experience, with an emphasis in the conservation of natural
history collections and art objects. He has spent much of his career
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural
History in New York. Dr. Koestler is highly regarded as an excellent
scientist and leader.

As director, he will bring new research capabilities and focus to
SCMRE's research and conservation and will work closely with the
Smithsonian's museums. Dr. Koestler is known for his advancements in
art conservation research, including quantification of
biodeterioration and early detections systems, assessment of visual
changes in material surfaces and control of insect and fungal
infestations in objects. He developed a specialized method for
eradicating these damaging organisms and has treated thousands of
objects all over the world without harming the artworks or exposing
conservators to dangerous chemicals. He has consulted on many
projects worldwide for foundations, museums, collections and
government conservation institutes and has served as an adjunct
professor for New York University's Institute of Fine Arts
Conservation Center. Dr. Koestler has appeared on the PBS program
"Innovation and the BBC program "Nova" and is listed in the "Who's
Who in Science and Engineering" in the 1993-1994 and 1995-1996
editions, and was featured in a recent Nature News article.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:16
                Distributed: Tuesday, September 28, 2004
                       Message Id: cdl-18-16-001
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