Intro to Vibrational Spectroscopy

Includes a Live Web Event on 03/24/2026 at 1:00 PM (EDT)

Vibrational spectroscopy is a cornerstone of conservation science, offering powerful, non-destructive or minimally destructive ways to characterize cultural heritage materials. Outlining the basic principles of vibrational spectroscopy supported by illustrative case studies, this webinar is geared towards students, researchers, conservators, and allied professionals seeking a theoretical introduction or a practical refresher grounded in real-world experience.

The session will place vibrational spectroscopy in context among other analytical techniques, highlighting what kinds of questions it can answer and what types of materials can be analyzed. We will explore the fundamentals of vibrational spectroscopy, with a focused comparison of Raman spectroscopy and FTIR—how they work, how they differ, and when each technique is most effective.

Through accessible case studies, participants will see how these methods are commonly applied, as well as examples where Raman and FTIR complement one another or, in some cases, provide essentially the same information. Topics will include organic material characterization (where FTIR often excels), pigment identification (such as iron oxides, vermilion, zinc white, ultramarine, Prussian blue, lead white, and chrome yellows and oranges), and the analysis of paint fillers and plasters like gypsum and lime/whiting. The webinar will also highlight unexpected and creative ways these techniques have been applied to solve analytical problems.

The lecture will be followed by an extended Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions specific to their materials, workflows, or research challenges.

You’ll learn:

What vibrational spectroscopy can tell you and where it fits among analytical tools
Key differences and overlaps between Raman and FTIR
Typical and unexpected use cases for both techniques
Which materials are best suited to analysis by Raman, FTIR, or both
The types of data you can obtain from vibrational spectra and how to interpret them

This is the first in a series of three lectures. Raman and FTIR spectroscopies will be explored in greater depth in two following webinars (Tuesday, April 14, 1-2:30pm and Thursday, May 14, 1-2:30pm) leading up to the Infrared and Raman User’s Group (IRUG) conference at the Winterthur Museum, October 6-9, 2026. All three webinars will be recorded and available to registered participants through AIC's Learning Site.

Dr. Liora Mael

Postdoctoral Researcher

University of Delaware Department of Art Conservation

Dr. Liora Mael is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Art Conservation at the University of Delaware. She obtained a PhD from the University of California San Diego (Analytical Chemistry) where her research focused on the study of atmospheric processes and phase transitions with vibrational spectroscopy. At Winterthur she teaches the first-year material science and chemistry courses and investigates the impacts of air quality and wildfire smoke on indoor air and sustainability practices.

Dr. Annette S. Ortiz Miranda

Conservation Scientist

The Walters Art Museum

Dr. Annette S. Ortiz Miranda is the conservation scientist at The Walters Art Museum, where she leads the museum’s scientific analysis laboratory. Prior to joining the Walters, she served as a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University’s Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts in Chicago and as a conservation scientist at the National Gallery of Denmark (SMK). Her research focuses on the identification and characterization of artists’ materials and techniques, as well as the study of their degradation processes. In addition to her role at the Walters, Dr. Ortiz Miranda actively contributes to the field through multiple leadership roles. She serves on the Board of Governors of the Centro de Conservación y Restauración de Puerto Rico (CENCOR), is the 2026 Program Chair of the Research and Technical Studies (RaTS) group of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), and is part of the leadership of the Art, Archaeology & Conservation Science group within the American Ceramic Society (ACerS).

Aniko Bezur

Anikó Bezur, the Wallace S. Wilson Director of Scientific Research atthe Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, has over 17 yearsof experience with the application of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to thestudy of cultural heritage objects. She was assistant professor in conservationscience at the Art Conservation Department, Buffalo State College and adjunctprofessor in the Chemistry Department at Rice University. Anikó was involved inthe conceptualization, organization and teaching of the XRF Boot Camp since itsinception in 2011.