Alongside specialist conservation practice, students in the final year of BA (Hons) Conservation undertake a conservation research project based on an area of conservation practice they have identified during their practical work.
Students prepare a thesis illustrating their research methodology, experimental data and conclusions. Their research findings are presented at the Conservation Symposium, a public-facing annual event to which professionals and interested parties from the world of Conservation are invited.
Conservation Symposium 2025
Wednesday 23 April 10:00 – 15:00
Imperial College London, LT 164 in the Skempton Building, College Road, London SW7 2AZ
PROGRAMME
10am | Daniel Lewis Abbott (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Solvent ‘Gels’ for the Removal of Permanent Marker Graffiti from Stone Substrates
10.20am | Camille Cuello (Books & Paper)
Place your bets: wheat paste vs rice paste
10.40am | Moda Farfour (Books & Paper)
A Comparative Study of High-Concentration Methylcellulose and Traditional Gels for the Removal of Historic Paper Repairs from Moisture-Sensitive Substrates
11am | Adrian Gono (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
Investigation into eco-friendly packing materials
11.20am | Hayley Jensen (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
Research Into Water Mixable Oil Mediums and its Application to Gilding
11.40am | Katharine Kemp (Books & Paper)
An investigation into the effect of leather dyes and fixatives on undyed vegetable tanned leather used in book conservation treatments
12 noon | Molly Lucas (Books & Paper)
An Investigation into the Aging Characteristics of the Materials of Work In Progress
2.20pm | Kathryn Miller (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
A Practical Investigation into the Challenge of Removing Bronze Paint from Oil Gilded Surfaces
12.40 | Gabrielle Nohr (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
Three Methods for the Cleaning of Fire-Damaged Stone
1pm – 2pm – Lunch break
2pm | Julian Sonta (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
An Investigation into the efficacy of an eco-friendly cleaner compared to typical stone cleaning materials
2.20pm | Lucy Wadsworth (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
Is the use of rock salt as an anti-icing treatment on pavements in Cambridge during the winter months, leading to the decay of Ketton stone in University buildings?
2.40pm | Thomas Yeung (Stone, Wood & Decorative Surfaces)
Evaluating Foam as an Adhesive-filler for Non-structural small fills on Fragile surfaces
3pm | Closing discussion
Our Conservation Symposium 2025 is held in partnership with the Imperial Science and Engineering Research Group for Cultural Heritage and the Imperial Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication.