Seminars & Workshops

Dr. Petr Kral, University of Illinois at Chicago, will present a seminar titled "Modeling of Nanoparticles Self-assembly and Coupling with Biomolecular Complexes".

Host:  Leah Casabianca

Dr. Dennis Guthrie, Dow Chemical, will present a seminar titled "Keys to an Effective PhD Seminar During the Interview Process".

Host:  CGSO

Dr. Cretté, Director of the Warren Lasch Conservation Center
at Clemson University Restoration Institute, will present the seminar "The Warren Lasch Conservation Center: From Conservation to Innovation"

The Warren Lasch Conservation Center (WLCC), part of Clemson University in North Charleston, SC – USA, is a facility dedicated to advancing knowledge and best practices in the study, analysis, conservation and preservation of materials and structures of historical significance, with a focus on artifacts in, and recovered from maritime environments. Our expertise is based on years devoted to the investigation and stabilization of the H.L.  Hunley submarine (1864) and its associated artifacts housed at the WLCC since 2000.  Since 2008, the National Park Service and the Warren Lasch Conservation Center have been in collaboration to develop protocols for conservation treatments on various set of ordnance and architectural elements at Fort Sumter National Monument, which includes Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie and Battery Jasper located on Sullivan’s Island and Charleston harbor.

The laboratory champions an integrated approach where conservation practice, archaeology, architecture, and materials science blend together to solve preservation challenges; the facility houses a state-of-the-art materials characterization (SEM-EDS/WDS, XRF, FTIR, Raman, X-Radiography) and documentation laboratory. Currently, the WLCC employs a wide range of digital documentation technologies, including photogrammetry, structured-light scanning, and 3D laser scanning.

Innovation and development of break-through research to solve the most challenging issues in conservation have been the leitmotiv of the Center. Research and development in compressed fluid technologies is a prime example. Subcritical water technique was developed to desalinate metals, while supercritical carbon dioxide extraction was established to dry waterlogged and heavily degraded organic artifacts.

Both our experience working on complex conservation projects, and our innovative and collaborative approach to conservation, have broadened our area of inquiry to include materials in historic preservation, which are being shared with the worldwide scientific community. As a result of our recognized expertise, particularly in metal conservation and our growing international reputation, the WLCC was selected to host the triennial meeting of the ICOM-CC Metal Working Group, METAL 2010, in Charleston, SC. It marked the first time the international conference was held in the United States.

The different aspects and projects of the WLCC will be presented at the seminar using case studies as examples.

Dr. Susan Richardson, University of South Carolina, will present a seminar titled "What's in My Drinking Water?  Revealing the Chemicals We Can't See". 

Host:  Ken Marcus

Dr. Jean-Francois Paquin, Laval University, Quebec, will present a seminar titled "Exploration and Some Discoveries in Organofluorine Chemistry".

Host: Joe Thrasher