Caring for Natural Science Collections: A one day conference exploring advances in conservation

NatSCA is hosting a one-day conference dedicated to conservation and its role in advancing the care of specimens, objects and archives that form our natural science collections. Often considered to be a very specific subject area, in reality this field is highly diverse. Natural science conservation deals with a huge range of collections and materials, preserving the bio- and geo-diversity of our world, along with the associated archives, objects and stories linked to these collections. Join us for this great opportunity to explore recent projects, discuss developments in new methodologies and meet others whose jobs involve the care and conservation of collections.

Programme

Download the programme here

9.30 – 10.00	Registration
10.00 – 10.10	Introduction & Housekeeping
10.10 – 10.25	Natural History Conservation: Conserving an Endangered Profession. Looking to the future Welcome from NatSCA Conservation Representative Lucie Mascord
First Session
10.25 – 10.45	Curation of the Historic England Zooarchaeology Reference Collection: developing strategies for controlling pests and moulds in a large skeletal collection Eva Fairnell, Claire Tsang, Fay Worley, Polydora Baker and Sophie Burgham; Historic England
10.45 – 11.05	Storage and conservation of geological collections Kathryn Royce, University College London and Dr Christian Baars, National Museum Wales
11.05 – 11.25	Digital conservation: DNA and Diagnostic imaging of entomological collections Lyndall Pereira-da-Conceicoa, National Museums Scotland and Benjamin Price, Natural History Museum London
11.25 – 11.35	Questions
11.35 – 12.00	Coffee Break and Posters
Second Session
12.00 – 12.20	Views on the pathology of petrified forests: a multidisciplinary technological approach Evangelia Kyriazi and Nikolaos Zacharias, University of the Peloponnese
12.20 – 12.40	Four 18th century bound herbaria conserved by a botanical conservator: perhaps a different conservation approach and outcome Dr Victoria Purewal, Pure Conservation
12.40 – 13.00	A Field Journal to the Conservation of Book and Paper within Natural Science Collections Samuel Suarez Ferreira, Cambridge University Museum of Zoology
13.00 – 13.10	Questions
13.10 – 14.00	Lunch and Posters
Third Session
14.00 – 14.20	Crafting three-dimensional fills for areas of loss on taxidermy: an examination of the needle-felting process and its use in conservation Natalie Jones Cambridge University Museum of Zoology
14.20 – 14.40	Experiments in textured taxidermy fills using Japanese tissues Erica Read
14.40 – 15.00	Blaschka Models: Four Worrying W’s Paolo Viscardi, National Museum of Ireland and Emmanuel Reynaud, University College Dublin
15.00 – 15.10	Questions
15.10 – 15.35	Coffee Break and Posters
Fourth Session
15.35 – 15.55	The conservation and restoration of an extinct giant amphibian Eryops megacephalus at the University Museum of Zoology Cambridge Beth Hamilton Cambridge University Museum of Zoology
15.55 – 16.15	Bringing taxidermy back to life: an examination of the methodology and techniques used in the conservation of an Aldabra giant tortoise Anastasia van Gaver, Cambridge University Museum of Zoology
16.15 – 16.25	Questions
Lightning Session
16.30 – 16.35	Conservation in the redevelopment of The University of Bergen’s Natural History Museum Signe Bonnichsen, Ruth Murgatroyd, Christina Holmefjord. University Museum of Bergen
16.35 – 16.40	Digital surrogates: reducing unproductive physical access - and consequent damage – to collections Dr Mike Howe, National Geological Repository, British Geological Survey
16.40 – 16.45	Skin deep: the use of cyclomethicones in the conservation of taxidermy Lu Allington-Jones, Natural History Museum London
16.45 – 16.50	SWANS - Cascading expertise Roz Bonnet and Helena Jaeschke, South West Museum Development
16.50 – 16.55	Conservation, moulding, casting, photogrammetry, 3D printing, blacksmithing, welding and heaps of horse manure: essential ingredients to successfully display a recently deceased fin whale skeleton Nigel Larkin, Natural History Conservation and Simon Jackson, Tullie House Museum
16.55 – 17.05	Questions
17.05 – 17.15	Summary and Thanks

Registration is now open. Book your tickets via Eventbrite. If your institution is unable to pay this way or you would rather pay by cheque please download the paper booking form. Special arrangements can be made if you are struggling with payment from abroad - please contact treasurer@natsca.org

Tickets are £55 members / £75 non-members

Members: please contact membership@natsca.org to claim your discount code. Institutional Members can claim discount for two of their volunteers or staff to attend. Not a member? Not to worry, you can still save money on tickets by becoming a member. Annual membership: students & unwaged £15, personal £20, institutional £40. Insert your code into the promotional code box before selecting tickets.

Refunds: Please email treasurer@natsca.org for refund enquiries (don't use Eventbrite's refund system)

Please be advised that this event will be filmed on behalf of NatSCA and footage may be used by the organisation for educational and promotional purposes. Attendees may appear in background shots. If you do not want to appear on footage, please advise the organising group at the registration desk on the day.

Bursaries: NatSCA would like to offer 2 bursaries for members towards the cost of the Caring for Natural Science Collections one-day conference. Two bursaries of up to £150 each are available. To apply please complete the form (click here) and return to bursaries@natsca.org. Details of the conditions are in the form. Deadline for application is Friday 31st August 2018.

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