Jennifer Anné Ph.D.: Vertebrate paleontologist at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis specializing in paleopathologies (injuries and trauma in fossils)
Gregory Smith, Ph.D.: Senior Conservation Scientist. Dr. Smith’s research interests include studying condition issues affecting modern polymers used in art, pigment degradation processes, preservation environments, and the development and testing of innovative conservation treatments.
Paleontology has been revitalized with the onslaught of new technological applications of physics, chemistry and computer engineering. Old bones are brought back to new light as even the scrappiest fossil can unleash a suite of hidden information only available in the 21st century. Dr. Jennifer Anné will be highlighting some of her exciting work in utilizing a menagerie of different technique and how these tools can be used to look at both fossils AND frescos.
Similarly, artworks yield a plethora of hidden clues as to their history, condition, and authenticity when examined with radiation outside the visible. Preparatory sketches, overzealous restorations, hidden inscirptions, and “lost” overpainted artworks are all discoverable with infrared, ultraviolet, and x-ray techniques!