May 2, 2023
The Image Permanence Institute (IPI) in the College of Art and Design (CAD) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is pleased to announce its opening for a Sustainable Preservation Specialist. The Sustainable Preservation Specialist will provide information and guidance to a range of collecting institutions on the role of environment in preservation, and best practices for sustainable environmental management through a variety of consulting, outreach (teaching and publication), research, and technical support activities. IPI provides on- and off-site environmental consulting services which currently include environmental monitoring and data analysis, mechanical system analysis, identification of energy-saving opportunities, suggestions for mechanical system design and operation, and preservation commissioning. This position requires the ability to work independently and within cross-disciplinary collaborative environments, including with other IPI staff and external clients. Outreach activities include the development and presentation of workshops, seminars, webinars, and conference presentations on IPI’s environmental projects, research activities, products and services. The Sustainable Preservation Specialist will also be expected to prepare articles for both peer-reviewed journals and practical educational publications. Potential research activities include the development of research initiatives and successful grant applications in the area of preventive conservation and the preservation of cultural heritage materials, assistance with the implementation of ongoing IPI research, evaluation and analysis of resulting data, and preparation of reports.
Required Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
Learn more about the position (RIT Career Zone, 7893BR) and apply
Questions
Please contact Jae Gutierrez, Executive Director and Chair of the search committee, if you have any questions about the position: jjgpph@rit.edu
Xinxin Li is IPI’s new 3D Design Assistant working under the supervision of Meredith Noyes, Research Scientist, as part of the IMLS-funded project Foundational Research to Inform Preservation Guidelines for the Creation, Collection, and Consumption of 3D Printed Objects in Museums. Xinxin is a MFA candidate in Industrial Design at RIT and comes to IPI after receiving her BFA in Industrial Design from Savannah College of Art and Design.
In May-June 2022, IPI conducted an online survey assessing how collecting institutions are using 3D printing and interacting with 3D printed objects and materials. The survey covered three major areas: 3D printed objects and artwork found in collections, conservation treatments of 3D printed objects, and 3D printing in preservation and access activities, including its use as a tool in conservation treatments of non-3D printed objects, exhibition and display, and collections transportation.
IPI is thrilled to announce that Dr. Marvin Cummings will join the team as Research Scientist in November 2022. Marvin brings extensive research experience from the technology sector, with a solid interdisciplinary background across the physical sciences, engineering, and archeometry.
The Image Permanence Institute received a National Leadership Grant for Museums from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in the amount of $711,598 to support a three-year research project that will study the relationship between equilibrium moisture content (EMC) and the physical stability of plastics and plastic composite artifacts found in museums.