Professor Matija Strlic's Inaugural Lecture: Heritage Science

Abstract

The science of cultural heritage has evolved into a dynamic field of cross-disciplinary research. As in other similar applied fields, research activities are defined through the subject matter, and can broadly be grouped into: research, interpretation and understanding of heritage, its management and conservation and improved access to heritage. This demonstrates the need for discourse that includes scientists and engineers as well as arts and humanities scholars, where research questions are driven by application. However, research has shown that these traditional boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred, which might demonstrate that the field is in the process of developing its own theory and research practices. Academic and non-academic researchers, industry, communities and non-experts are embedded in current practice and specific training programmes, journals have developed and dedicated research infrastructures are being established. It is an extremely exciting time for heritage science. In this lecture, Matija will explore case studies which demonstrate the complexities as well as the challenges of the field.

Biography

Matija is Professor of Heritage Science at UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage. He is Deputy Director of the Institute and Director of the MRes Science and Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology (SEAHA). He successfully co-established the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training SEAHA, a collaborative effort between UCL, University of Oxford, University of Brighton and more than 60 partners, a major international training initiative in heritage science. He is Chair of the UK Institute of Conservation’s Heritage Science Group, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.