XRF Boot Camp Lite
- Registration Closed
June 4, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT, Online
Virtual Annual Meeting Workshop
Instructors: Aniko Bezur, Lynn Lee, Maggi Loubser, Karen Trentelman
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) has become a widely used analytical technique in the cultural heritage field due to the availability of relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and portable instruments. As a result an increasing number of institutions have acquired instrumentation in recent years, but the scientific background of the personnel charged with its use varies considerably and available training from the instrument sales representatives (ranging from several hours to up to two days) is typically insufficient and/or not available when new staff are hired. The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) and Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) created the XRF Boot Camp for Conservators course to help address this training gap. This workshop will touch on some of the major concepts covered in the Boot Camp and will focus on how to use a newly available book, “Handheld XRF in Cultural Heritage: A Practical Workbook for Conservators”, as a self-guided learning resource.
Intended for new as well as seasoned XRF users, this workshop will introduce important fundamental concepts include demonstrations of workbook exercises, discussion of practical application of XRF to cultural heritage objects, and general guidance for spectral interpretation and potential pitfalls. Participants will be able to download XRF spectra used in the workbook along with open access software to facilitate engagement with the materials presented during workshop.
"Handheld XRF in Cultural Heritage: A Practical Workbook for Conservators" is available from the GCI website as a free, downloadable PDF.
The book can also be ordered for print-on-demand (delivery approximately 2 weeks within the US).
Aniko Bezur
Anikó Bezur, the Wallace S. Wilson Director of Scientific Research at the Yale Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, has over 17 years of experience with the application of x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to the study of cultural heritage objects. She was assistant professor in conservation science at the Art Conservation Department, Buffalo State College and adjunct professor in the Chemistry Department at Rice University. Anikó was involved in the conceptualization, organization and teaching of the XRF Boot Camp since its inception in 2011.
Lynn Lee
Lynn Lee is an Assistant Scientist at the Getty Conservation Institute. She is a point person at the GCI for handheld XRF (hhXRF), and has taught hhXRF to conservators at various museums. She was an instructor for a short course on XRF at the Denver X-ray Conference (2018, 2019) and an invited speaker at the conference (2019). Lynn was involved in the conceptualization, organization and teaching of the XRF Boot Camp since its inception in 2011.
Maggi Loubser
Maggi Loubser is currently the program manager and senior lecturer in the Tangible Heritage Conservation program at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). Her teaching responsibilities include leading the science curriculum for students with a humanities background. She has been an instructor for the XRF Boot Camp since 2013, and has taught the annual XRF Short Course at Western University (London, Canada) since 2005. Her background in XRF includes over thirty years of experience in academia and industry.
Karen Trentelman
Karen Trentelman is Senior Scientist at the Getty Conservation Institute. She has extensive experience in the application of XRF to works of art and teaching XRF to conservators, conservation scientists, students and the general public. She organized XRF round robins with conservation scientists at various museums from 2002-2010. Karen was involved in the conceptualization, organization and teaching of the XRF Boot Camp since its inception in 2011.