University of Melbourne
SC@M has a new committee for the year 2015-2016. We look forward to working with AICCM members to organise thought provoking events for students at the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation.
President: Irene Finkelde
Treasurer: Sally Kilby
Secretary: Vanessa Lau
Events officers: Pam Soriano and Zora Sanders
Web officer: Shannon Klaassen
Keep updated via the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/studentconservatorsatmelbourne
University of Canberra
The University of Canberra is pleased to congratulate Dr Mona Soleymani on her completion of PhD thesis, “The Effects of Plant Dyes, Watercolours and Acrylic Paints on the Physical, Chemical and Biological Stability of Japanese Tissues Paper Used in Paper Conservation”. Dr Soleymani graduated recently in April 2015 and is the first conservation PhD to be completed since the reopening of the conservation courses at the University.
The University is also pleased to congratulate graduates Daniel Kelley who received First Class Honours and the University Medal for his honours research project on the conservation of a World War II Welbike and Caroline Milne who gained a Chancellor’s Commendation for receiving the highest grade point average for an undergraduate degree.
Some exciting course changes are happening with all 1st year units in the Bachelor of Heritage, Museums and Conservation now being delivered flexibly. This means that all material in these units will be delivered both face-to-face and online, or by intensives, which allows remote students with work and family commitments to access the course without having to relocate to Canberra for the whole of semester. Depending on student’s study choices this means that it may be possible for students to complete the conservation component of the course in two semesters on-campus in Canberra, with the other elements of the course completed through on-campus intensives, online participation and internship and volunteer placements in heritage organisations in their local area. The traditional face to face university experience is also available for students who have the opportunity to come to Canberra!
The students at the University have been very busy, with UC Cultural Heritage Collective member Robyn Victory organizing students to speak at lunchtime seminars on topics ranging from architectural conservation in Pakistan to student experiences in volunteering. Students have also been very active in implementing collection management and preventive conservation for the UC Indigenous Artefact Collection, and the Australian National Museum of Education collection. The Collective has also been running student led conservation workshops so that students can reinforce their bench skills and improve their skills in implementing conservation treatments. ACT Heritage funding is supporting work on the UC Mineral and Economic Geology Collection, and further funding is being sought for additional work on the UC Indigenous Artefact Collection.