Participating Institutions – CuBISM: Computationally-Based Imaging of Structure in Materials

Northwestern University/Art Institute of Chicago: The Northwestern University/Art Institute of Chicago Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts (NU-ACCESS) is a collaborative endeavor in conservation science that pursues objects-based and objects-inspired scientific research to advance the role of science within art history, curatorial scholarship, archaeology, and conservation. The goals of the collaborative program are to enrich the breadth, scope, and reach of scientific studies in the arts and in the wider field of conservation in the United States and abroad, by leveraging resources at the Art Institute and materials-related departments at Northwestern University. This research and education initiative also provides enhanced training opportunities for participants through involvement in university-museum multidisciplinary programs.
Key Personnel: Francesca Casadio (Art Institute); Marc Walton, Kenneth Shull, Oliver Cossairt, Aggelos Katsaggelos, Linda Broadbelt, Richard Van Duyne (Northwestern)

The Netherlands (Amsterdam): The Netherlands Institute for Conservation, Art and Science (NICAS) is a new multidisciplinary research institute centered in Amsterdam, uniting the disciplines of science, conservation, and art history in a cohesive and robust research program. The Dutch have unique expertise in the use of simulations to investigate organic materials relevant to art conservation, including the degradation of paints, and are at the forefront of imaging and visualization methods relevant to the CuBISM program.
Key Personnel: Maurice Aalders, Rob Erdmann, Piet Iedema, Katrien Keune (University of Amsterdam)

France (Paris-Saclay): The European ancient materials platform (IPANEMA) at Synchrotron SOLEIL is one of the French-funded Laboratories for Excellence aimed at advancing an overall national policy for high-level research and training. IPANEMA develops advanced multiscale imaging techniques directly applicable to the CuBISM program. This unique platform operates in an original way, gathering EU and international hosted students and scientists in specifically adapted facilities at the Synchrotron site.
Key Personnel: Loïc Bertrand, Mathieu Thoury (Synchrotron SOLEIL)

Italy (Perugia/Florence): CuBISM’s Italian partners belong to the CNR (National Research Council), specifically to ISTM (Institute of Molecular Science and Technologies in Perugia) and INO (National Institute of Optics in Florence), and are the lead players in the Integrated Platform for the European Research Infrastructure on Cultural Heritage (IPERION CH), an effort that integrates facilities throughout Europe in the area of Heritage Science. The Italian partners are renowned for their research activities on the chemistry of cultural heritage materials and non-invasive diagnostics. Perugia hosts the European mobile laboratory MOLAB equipped with 12 non-invasive instruments (working in point mode or hyperspectral imaging) in addition to a high performance computational facility.
Key Personnel: Costanza Miliani, Simona Fantacci (Institute of Molecular Science and Technologies, Perugia); Luca Pezzati (Italian National Institute for Optics, Florence)