UCL History of Art welcomes Dr Valentina Risdonne

Valentina is the Conservation Laboratory Coordinator in the Conservation Laboratory 711a at Marshagate (UCLE). She is a Conservation Scientist, trained in Italy and in the UK. She worked in both university and museums settings for almost a decade, applying a wide range of analytical techniques and equipment, and producing high-standard publications and research.

Her experience in academic environments includes a BSc (University of Perugia) and an MSc (university of Parma) in Conservation Science, a PhD awarded at Northumbria University (Departments of Conservation of Fine Arts) and postdoctoral research at the University of Glasgow (Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage Research).

Her experience in Museums settings include several internships and occasional professional assistance positions at the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) between 2015 and 2017 and a position as research assistant at Historic Royal Palaces in 2019. She joined once more the V&A in 2022 as Laboratory Coordinator and she is now a 0.5 FTE Conservation Scientist in the Science Laboratory.

During the last decade of combined education, training and work experiences she worked on several research projects, either alone or as part of a wider research team, covering different periods, materials and analytical methods. She worked with UK and international researchers and professionals.

She has been involved with students and conservators training and also volunteered for students training and union activities. She is an Art and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) alumna. She was a representative for the CDP Students Group, encompassing all PhD students researching with major UK cultural institutions, between 2017 and 2021, and she was the strategic lead representative for the postgraduate community at Northumbria University between 2017 and 2019.

She is an early career member of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, and a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

We look forward to welcoming Valentina to the department and benefitting from her diverse experience and talents.