39th Annual Meeting: Call for Papers Now Open!

The theme for the 39th Annual Meeting, to be held in Pittsburgh, PA, May 17-20, 2011, is titled ETHOS, LOGOS, PATHOS: ethical principles and critical thinking in conservation.

The goal of this year's meeting is to examine how ethics, logic, and perception guide conservation decisions. Assumptions long held in the practice of conservation are being challenged by the modern world. How are the issues of: environmental sustainability, economic drivers, art as entertainment, the use of cultural heritage, and public access concerns changing the practice of conservation? Do the core values of conservation still hold? We will examine existing assumptions about the way conservation decisions are made and the changing environment in which these decisions are taken today. For example, do the core values of conservation still guide conservators presented with the challenges of preserving new media? Does the increasing trend in collecting institutions towards outsourcing conservation services affect the long term preservation of cultural heritage? What is the impact of these changes on conservation education today?

Possible subjects for presentations include increased accessibility and use of built heritage, the effects of changing environmental standards on lending practices, the treatment of contemporary and ephemeral works, artists' and owners' rights; the evolution of ethical codes of conduct.

How to Propose a Paper

Please submit an abstract of your paper for consideration. For 2011, we are going to continue to use the system developed last year which allowed authors to submit their talk to any combination of three session types: General Session, Specialty Session, or Poster Session.

For example, you preferences can be:

• General Session, Objects Session, and Wooden Artifacts Session

• General Session, Posters Session, and Book and Paper Session

• Photographic Materials, Electronic Media, and Research and Technical Studies

To submit an abstract for consideration, please send an abstract of no more than 500 words to Ruth Seyler, Membership and Meetings Director, at abstracts@conservation-us.org by Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Papers maybe be submitted for the General Session, Specialty Sessions, and/or Poster Session. Specialty Session papers are encouraged to address the meeting theme but may also explore other topics relevant to that specialty. Please indicate on the abstract which session/sessions you wish the paper to be considered: General Session, Specialty Session, or Poster Session. Please limit your choices to three sessions and rank them in order of preference. Naturally, you may submit your presentation to only one session if you so choose. Papers for the 2011 meeting should be tailored to a 20-30 minute presentation time.

The deadline for posters only will be extended to October 1, 2010.

Submit an Abstract Online