GLAMTech: Technologies for Gardens, Libraries and Museums Collections Research
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Gardens, Libraries & Museums (GLAM)
Abstract
This proposal represents part of a determined effort to enable the four world-class Museums in the University of Oxford (the Ashmolean, the Pitt Rivers Museum, the History of Science Museum and the University Museum of Natural History), together with the Bodleian Library, to work together more effectively in terms of collections conservation and research. In accordance with the University Strategic Plan, it also represents an opportunity for the museums and libraries to work more closely in research terms with academic departments, in this case the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (RLAHA), School of Archaeology. The planned creation of the Collections Teaching and Research Centre (CTRC) in Oxford, a joint initiative between the four museums and the Bodleian Library, to which the University has already committed £8.1M, will provide two floors of dedicated specialist facilities for teaching, digitization, research and conservation space. Originally scheduled to open in October 2021, the proposal is to locate the replacement instruments requested in this bid within the CTRC when it opens, which presents a unique opportunity to co-locate facilities and equipment for the study and care of more than 8.5 million objects in the University collections. Together with RLAHA, this consortium of museums has a considerable track record in the study of archaeological and historical objects, covering metals, glass, ceramics and glazes, paintings and pigments, manuscripts and ethnographic objects. This proposal builds on a track record of joint research grant applications between RLAHA and the Museums and Libraries in Oxford. Successful applications include BookNet ('A network for the technological study of the book and manuscript as artefact', AHRC Science and Heritage Cluster), which was a collaboration between RLAHA and the Bodleian Library. Other initiatives have involved the Ashmolean Museum and RLAHA, such as 'Deep Blue' - a research programme to study the world history of the use of cobalt pigment in ceramic glazes and glasses.
The main focus of the bid is replacement equipment in two main areas - imaging and digitization of the collection, and chemical analysis using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In all cases, the requested equipment is a replacement and upgrade for existing instrumentation, but we wish to take advantage of new developments in miniaturization and portability to enhance the effectiveness of the equipment.
In addition to promoting collaboration between Oxford University Museums and Departments, the vision for GLAMtech is to provide a regional centre for the study of museum and archaeological artefacts. Potential partner organizations, including the Oxfordshire Museums Service, Oxford Archaeology, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park, have expressed interest in arranging access to these facilities. To this end, many of the replacement instruments requested are designed to be portable, and flexible enough, to be taken to the objects, either in the Oxford museums, or further afield to partner organizations. Moreover, part of the proposal is to work towards a commercial spin-out element. The aim would be to raise money, initially from HEIF or Business Engagement sources, to enable the promotion of analytical capability and expertise on a commercial basis to customers beyond the regional consortium. The aim of this is to provide an income stream to ensure the sustainability of the centre.
The main focus of the bid is replacement equipment in two main areas - imaging and digitization of the collection, and chemical analysis using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In all cases, the requested equipment is a replacement and upgrade for existing instrumentation, but we wish to take advantage of new developments in miniaturization and portability to enhance the effectiveness of the equipment.
In addition to promoting collaboration between Oxford University Museums and Departments, the vision for GLAMtech is to provide a regional centre for the study of museum and archaeological artefacts. Potential partner organizations, including the Oxfordshire Museums Service, Oxford Archaeology, the Portable Antiquities Scheme, Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park, have expressed interest in arranging access to these facilities. To this end, many of the replacement instruments requested are designed to be portable, and flexible enough, to be taken to the objects, either in the Oxford museums, or further afield to partner organizations. Moreover, part of the proposal is to work towards a commercial spin-out element. The aim would be to raise money, initially from HEIF or Business Engagement sources, to enable the promotion of analytical capability and expertise on a commercial basis to customers beyond the regional consortium. The aim of this is to provide an income stream to ensure the sustainability of the centre.
Organisations
- University of Oxford (Collaboration, Lead Research Organisation)
- DURHAM UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF READING (Collaboration)
- Queen's University (Collaboration)
- Egypt Exploration Society (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- Museums Sheffield (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- Pompeu Fabra University (Collaboration)
Publications
Ghigo T
(2022)
Material Characterisation of William Burges' Great Bookcase within the Disruption of a Global Pandemic
in Studies in Conservation
| Description | The award has continued to reinvigorate the capability for collections research in Oxford by replacing and upgrading 14 pieces of older research related equipment, and by bringing together Gardens Libraries and Museums and its holdings of 21 million items into closer collaboration with academic departments, notably the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art (RLAHA). The new equipment continues to bring new collaborations, student research, discoveries, and other outputs that would not have been possible before, as well as upgrading the preservation work of conservation and the digitisation of collections. New miniaturised and portable technology has successfully allowed in situ analysis of objects thought too fragile or large and expensive to move. For example, William Burgess's Great Bookcase, a 3m high Victorian painted bookcase in a top floor gallery has been successfully analysed using two portable pieces of equipment, the results of which will be published as part of a European Research Council funded project (Chromotope). Results from this research include a video presented by the conservation researcher that has been incorporated into the design of a major temporary exhibition, 'Colour Revolution: Victorian Art, Fashion and Design' to open in September 2023. The new digital x ray and 3 D microscope attracted students from West Dean's MA in Conservation Studies to support their theses and this has led to one of the research team supervising a Masters thesis in 2023. SEM and optical microscopes are now commonly used for teaching undergraduates and postgraduates who use the equipment themselves in their own research. The speed and quality of the new Reflectance Transformation Imaging equipment has greatly increased the number of works recorded as part of research into Italian drawings and other Old Master drawings. New advances to existing techniques, for example elemental analysis by scanning x-ray fluorescence (XRF), infra red reflectography and reflectance transformation imaging, have allowed us to reignite discussions of technique, history and attribution. New equipment such as the structured light scanner continues to prove easier to learn and faster to operate making it ideal for student use and teaching. The scanner has already contributed new data for online resources, PhD research, teaching and display. Similarly , equipment has been used to create a teaching reference for the Historic Metallurgy Society archive with a set of metallographic images that will be used as a self-driving teaching resource for historic metallurgy. The speed of elemental XRF scanning in an ongoing project involving glass beads from Zimbabwe has meant that fewer beads need to be sampled, helping to preserve these objects and saving the time and the cost of more invasive techniques. The success of this approach has been extended to metals. As well as improving the speed, quality of information and potential of several existing funded projects, the new equipment has opened up possibilities for new research questions and early career research, such as a successful Leverhulme Trust award for the 4 year research project ''Ruskin's painting materials: what he used, what he chose, what he taught' which began in April 2022 and which is based on the use of equipment purchased through the award. This in turn has generated engagement activities which will culminate in a display in the public Conservation Galleries at the Ashmolean Museum. The University's cross-museum shared Collections Teaching and Research Centre, which will contain new digitising and conservation studios and where we expect much of this equipment to be used and shared, is due for practical completion in August 2023 and will be fully operational in 2024. |
| Exploitation Route | Given the extensive nature of the collections and library materials held by the University of Oxford it is possible that the use of this equipment will touch on many areas such as environment, heritage industry, museums, public engagement and education. |
| Sectors | Education Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| Description | The results from equipment supported by the research grant have engaged directly with the public across the Oxford University's Gardens Libraries and Museums (GLAM) which are visited by over 3 million visitors a year ( https://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/article/alva-2019-visitor-figures#:~:text=Attracting%20792%2C282%20visitors%20in%202019,and%20a%20dynamic%20exhibition%20programme.) . Contributions include popular public museum gallery displays (eg. the Ashmolean Museum's Ancient Middle East Gallery 2021), and exhibitions both in gallery and on line (eg. Ashmolean Museum's Colour Revolution, Oxford University Museum of Natural History on line Redisplay project) the ongoing digitisation of collections for online access; the creation of popular collection catalogues; developing other commercial products. The equipment has also supported the work of conservation departments in the long term preservation and investigation of collections that are a much accessed resource for researchers, for international loans and the general public alike over the longer term. The equipment has also become more embedded in University use by staff engaging with and training students and professional colleagues undertaking research. The equipment has also generated results for new research projects. The use of the equipment, the collaborations, research and engagement that it has generated, contributed to a successful Oxford University bid to the AHRC RICHeS programme in 2024 for more research equipment and a new network called OCHRE (Oxford Collaboration for Heritage science Research and Engagement). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Retail |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | Enabling material studies across Oxford: a pilot on paintings and drawings with Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe - Mass Spectroscopy-MS |
| Amount | £9,930 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 0010646 |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | John Fell Fund |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 09/2022 |
| Description | Ruskin's painting materials: what he used what he chose, what he taught |
| Amount | £255,512 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | RPG-2021-430 |
| Organisation | The Leverhulme Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 03/2026 |
| Title | Scans of collection items from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History |
| Description | Scan data are made available to the wider research community through the website Morphosource |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Data are contributed by museums, researchers, and scholars to share findings, increase impact, and improve access to material critical for scientific discovery and the advancement of human knowledge. The popularity of the website is leading to further uploading of data for fossils and the Red Lady of Paviland. |
| URL | https://www.morphosource.org/ |
| Description | Analysis of Oxyrhynchus papyri |
| Organisation | Egypt Exploration Society |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| PI Contribution | The Ashmolean analysed a collection of 20 papyrus manuscripts using Opus Apollo infrared camera and Bruker Crono XRF spectrometer. Both pieces of equipment were acquired as part of the Capability for Collections Fund and this work would not have been possible without them. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Egypt Exploration Society granted access to the papyrus collection |
| Impact | Disciplines involved: papyrology, egyptology, anthropology and heritage science. The forthcoming outcomes will be: presentation of the results to the Internetional Congress of Papyrology (Paris, 2022) and the publication of an article in an academic journal. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Analysis of Oxyrhynchus papyri |
| Organisation | Pompeu Fabra University |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Ashmolean analysed a collection of 20 papyrus manuscripts using Opus Apollo infrared camera and Bruker Crono XRF spectrometer. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Colleagues from Pompeu Fabra University helped in selecting the papyri to be studied based on their typology and text. |
| Impact | Disciplines involved: papyrology, egyptology, anthropology and heritage science. The forthcoming outcomes will be: presentation of the results to the International Congress of Papyrology (Paris, 2022) and the publication of an article in an academic journal |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Collaborative doctoral programme research. Rivers of Bronze in the age of Iron: an interdisciplinary study of Iron Age copper-alloy material culture from the middle-upper Thames Valley |
| Organisation | University of Reading |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaborative doctoral student is using Capco funded 3D microscope and x-radiography equipment to carry out research on the museum collections and is supervised by a member of the Ashmolean staff in collaboration with Reading University. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The doctoral student is co supervised with Reading University where the student will receive the doctorate if successful. The analysis will also be carried out in laboratories of Reading university. |
| Impact | The outputs relate to training of the collaborative doctoral student on the use of the CapCo funded equipment. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | John Ruskin 'Capturing Colour' exhibition |
| Organisation | Museums Sheffield |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Analysis of works on paper from the Ruskin collection |
| Collaborator Contribution | Temporary exhibition on John Ruskin's pigments and use of colour, entitled "Capturing Colour", opened December 2024 |
| Impact | Public museum exhibition |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | John Ruskin's Blues |
| Organisation | Lancaster University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Analysis of works on paper from the Ruskin collection |
| Collaborator Contribution | Archival research into John Ruskin's teaching on the colour blue |
| Impact | Publication in press. No outputs yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Papua New Guinea clay skull project |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Digital X-radiography |
| Collaborator Contribution | Conservation and museology |
| Impact | Outputs still being assessed. Output likely to be redisplay depending on the outcome of the analysis |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Qajar paintings project |
| Organisation | Durham University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The project involves the conservation of two portraits from the Qajar period in Iran in the early 19th century. The conservation work , including examination using IRR camera funded by the CapCo grant, was carried out by the Ashmolean paintings conservator in 2023. Further analysis carried out in 2024 included HIS, FORS, Raman and art historical research. Input was given to a temporary display in the Ashmolean museum where the two portraits are central objects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The paintings belong to the Bodleian Library, a different part of Oxford University although within the Gardens Libraries and Museums Division. The Bodleian have provided the paintings and research collaboration. |
| Impact | The paintings have been conserved and imaging completed using Capco funded IRR camera and microscope. The conservation and science work has been highlighted in a newly opened temporary exhibition called Images of Authority in the Eastern Art Paintings gallery. https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/images-of-authority-portraits-between-iran-and-europe |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Qajar paintings project |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The project involves the conservation of two portraits from the Qajar period in Iran in the early 19th century. The conservation work , including examination using IRR camera funded by the CapCo grant, was carried out by the Ashmolean paintings conservator in 2023. Further analysis carried out in 2024 included HIS, FORS, Raman and art historical research. Input was given to a temporary display in the Ashmolean museum where the two portraits are central objects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The paintings belong to the Bodleian Library, a different part of Oxford University although within the Gardens Libraries and Museums Division. The Bodleian have provided the paintings and research collaboration. |
| Impact | The paintings have been conserved and imaging completed using Capco funded IRR camera and microscope. The conservation and science work has been highlighted in a newly opened temporary exhibition called Images of Authority in the Eastern Art Paintings gallery. https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/images-of-authority-portraits-between-iran-and-europe |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Qajar paintings project |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Bodleian Library |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The project involves the conservation of two portraits from the Qajar period in Iran in the early 19th century. The conservation work , including examination using IRR camera funded by the CapCo grant, was carried out by the Ashmolean paintings conservator in 2023. Further analysis carried out in 2024 included HIS, FORS, Raman and art historical research. Input was given to a temporary display in the Ashmolean museum where the two portraits are central objects. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The paintings belong to the Bodleian Library, a different part of Oxford University although within the Gardens Libraries and Museums Division. The Bodleian have provided the paintings and research collaboration. |
| Impact | The paintings have been conserved and imaging completed using Capco funded IRR camera and microscope. The conservation and science work has been highlighted in a newly opened temporary exhibition called Images of Authority in the Eastern Art Paintings gallery. https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/images-of-authority-portraits-between-iran-and-europe |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Raphael and his school |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Ashmolean Museum |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Technical analysis of 20 works on paper by Raphael |
| Collaborator Contribution | Art history / curatorial research; Conservation research |
| Impact | Museum catalogue of the Raphael collection will contain a chapter based on analytical work carried out using the Capco equipment. Currently being written |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Reframing the flow of indigenous artefacts in 17th century colonial America: Material analysis of metal inlays in ball-headed clubs from the Ashmolean Tradescant Collection |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Institute of Archaeology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Analysis of three wooden clubs with metal inlays using the CapCo CHRONO XRF, to answer questions around their history of embellishment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to the clubs, historical information about the collection. Operation of the equipment and interpretation of the results, observation of the objects and discussion. |
| Impact | Conference paper, "Plummer S and Sainsbury V, ""Material analysis of metal inlays in ball-headed clubs from the Ashmolean Tradescant Collection"", paper given at Historical Metallurgy Society's Research in Progress Meeting, 24/11/23" A bid for further funding will come from this to expand the scope of the project to include similar clubs in Swedish Museum. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Rembrandt? Cooperative Technical Examinations of Rembrandt's 'Tronies |
| Organisation | Queen's University |
| Country | Canada |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Using Infra-red Reflectography and Macro X-ray fluorescence scanning equipment purchased by the CapCo grant the resaerch team were able to contribute new material for this collaborative project examining Rembrandt's 'tronies . |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partners in this project contributed similar input into the technical examination of Rembrandt's 'tronies |
| Impact | Conference: 'Rembrandt in Amsterdam', Stadel Museum Frankfurt, January 2022 - paper: Rembrandt? Cooperative Technical Examinations of Rembrandt's 'Tronies, |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | SEM-EDS of historic iron as a study for ongoing conservation of built environment, as part of DPhil. |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Department | Department of Engineering Science |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Provided machine access and training |
| Collaborator Contribution | Study research as part of a DPhil |
| Impact | DPhil in progress |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | The Hallstatt collection at the Ashmolean Museum |
| Organisation | University of Reading |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Hallstatt collection is part of the Ashmolean museum and curators conservators and conservation scientist are carrying out research as part of the project. This includes x radiography using Capco funded equipment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Dr Jennifer Foster, University of Reading and University of Oxford is part of the project team. |
| Impact | New and updated object records on Ashmolean Collections Online |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | "Elementary my dear Mr. Ruskin", workshop for the Ashmolean Members |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | This online event was part of a new Illuminating Insights series of monthly talks offering supporters an intimate look behind the scenes of the Museum's collections. The talk aimed to highlight some of the more unusual, little-known Ashmolean treasures, and including a look at current research projects and conservation work. This particular talk related to research made using the CapCo equipment and featuring in a forthcoming major temporary exhibition 'Colour Revolution' to open in September 2023 and also to a smaller temporary display on the analysis of Ruskin's use of paint that will be opening in the museum's Conservation Gallery, 'Conserving the Past' in November 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.ashmolean.org/event/elementary-my-dear-mr-ruskin-talk |
| Description | 'Unravelling Archaeology with Science'. Part of a public evening event 'Excavating the Egyptians' at the Bodleian Library. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Unravelling Archaeology with Science: using images taken on the Capco funded Scanning Electron Microscope, Dr Victoria Sainsbury (School of Archaeology, University of Oxford) illustrated how archaeologists use science to understand how people in the Bronze Age in Egypt and beyond produced glass and metal objects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/event/nov22/library-lates-egyptians |
| Description | Article for Ashmolean members magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | An article in the Ashmolean's members magazine ' Ashmolean Magazine' describing the use of equipment and scientific analysis on the William Burgess Great Bookcase, a victorian painted bookcase, for a non specialist audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Brachiopod Geometric Morphometrics research visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A postgraduate in Earth Sciences has been using the scanners to create models of fossil specimens to analyse their functional morphology as part of their research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Building Ceramic Analysis Skills |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Training in using SEM for the analysis of archaeological ceramics, testing potential for future research projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| Description | Creation of images for Oxford's access program , UNIQ |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Using equipment funded by the CapCo GLAMtech award, images were created for teaching as part of Oxford's access program , UNIQ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.uniq.ox.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Digital Morphology Bio-skills Course |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of their Biology degree undergraduates chose a skills course. Each year c. 10 students come to the Museum for a two-week workshop in Digital Morphology. This includes generating and processing structured light scans. Undergraduate students use the scanners for designing their own research projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| Description | Digitisation of Significant Collections using Capco funded scanners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of our digitisation priorities we have created surface models of some objects using Capco funded scanners in our more significant collections and shared via sketchfab.com |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://sketchfab.com/morethanadodo/collections |
| Description | Geological Curators Group Digital Morphology Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | One-day workshop in Digital Morphology, including use of structured light scanners |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://geocollnews.wordpress.com/2024/01/19/reconstructing-the-palaeontological-object-digital-morp... |
| Description | Handaxe tool structured light scanning research visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A DPhil candidate in Archaeology interested in the role of symmetry in cutting utility used the scanners to test how it capture the tridimensional structures of Acheulean handaxe tools |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Iron Degredation in Historic Buildings practical training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Doctoral researcher working on iron degredation in historical buildings, visited for practical training in using the SEM for this work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Jesus College Demonstration |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Demonstration of scanners as part setting up a Digital Hub, creating links across the University and informing future projects steps for University colleagues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/about-jesus-college/the-cheng-kar-shun-digital-hub/ |
| Description | MSc Archaeological Science, University of Oxford |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 8 students attended visit of CapCo GLAMTECH facilities which sparked questions and interest of use of facilities for MSc dissertation projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Mammal ankle bone scanning research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A researcher from AMNH visited to digitise some of our osteological specimens for research in comparative anatomy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Materials Science in Archaeology - practical class on the use of the Capco funded SEM |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | All students undertaking an undergraduate degree in archaeology and anthropology are required to do a practical in archaeological science, to both teach literacy in science but also spark interest. Students were shown how SEM can work on a variety of different types of materials and questions. Several students have since asked about pursuing archaeological science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/course-listing/archaeology-and-anthropology#:~... |
| Description | Megalosaurus Anniversary Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Members of the public were invited to an evening event celebrating 200 year since the naming of the first dinosaur, including interacting with a stand on 'Digital Dinosaurs' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/megalosaurus-0 |
| Description | Oxford Conservators Group meeting - Ruskin's Painting Materials |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation and discussion of analytical work on the John Ruskin Teaching Collection using CapCo kit. Sparked interest, discussions and second invited talk on stage 3 of the research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Practical training sessions in Scanning Electron and Optical Microscopy for the MSc in Achaeological Science and BA in Archaeology and Anthropology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Practical workshops demostrating and training in the use of CapCo funded equipment for undergraduate and postgraduate students . |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation to a newly formed group - Oxford Collaboration for Heritage science Research and Engagement (OCHRE). The group was successful in an AHRC RiCHES bid in 2024. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 'Show and tell'event, for all participating laboratories to highlight hertiage science kit and projects that can be used in OCHRE network. Sparked discussion, increased interest and raised awareness of facilities and projects |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Redisplay Digital Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of our museum Redisplay project at the Oxford Museum of Natural History, we have created surface models of some of the objects now on display and shared via sketchfab.com. The most viewed model has been viewed 3600 times |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://sketchfab.com/morethanadodo/collections |
| Description | Research Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to museum colleagues on CapCo kit and capabilities, sparked discussion, raised awareness and interest in cross-disciplinary research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | SEM Analysis for Archaeological Science Masters course |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Students undertaking a MSc in Archaeological Science, answering a set of questions using archaeological reference material, to build familiarity with the potentials and pitfalls of SEM, and working with heritage materials. Some of these students hope to continue on in such work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/courses/msc-archaeological-science |
| Description | School visit as part of work experience |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Demonstration of x radiography using equipment funded by the Capability for Collections grant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | School visit by science teachers (Oxford) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 13 science teachers from the local Greyfriars catholic school visited for a discussion around science and conservation, including a demonstration of analytical equipment funded through the Capability for Collections grant. We discussed further ways to encourage heritage science in their teaching. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Surveying Organic Material Prior to Future Research. Practical training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | One on one training with users interested in using SEM to assess taphonomic changes in organic archaeological remains to allow better sampling and research using traditional bioarchaeological research, such as stable isotopes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Trackway scanning other natural history collections |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A research fellow from the Oxford Museum of Natural History took the Capco funded scanners and the high end laptop with the capturing software to digitise newly exposed trackway fossils housed in other collections in Scotland |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | University of Oxford Department of Chemistry "Building Bridges" schools outreach program Key Stage 3 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Demonstrating pigment identification for Key stage 3 students. A four-day event introducing John Ruskin, the RTC and demonstrating how pigments are identified using CapCo GLAM Tech equipment. Sparked discussion and interest in research area for school students |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Video to accompany a temporary exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The exhibition Colour Revolution in the Ashmolean arose from an ERC funded project Chromotope. Part of the exhibition featured a video which included an explanation of the scientific examination of pigments used by artists who painted a large bookcase which also was displayed in the exhibition. The scientific examination was carried out using some of the equipment funded by the Capability for collections grant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| URL | https://www.ashmolean.org/exhibition/colour-revolution-victorian-art-fashion-design |
| Description | Walter Owen's redacted letters |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 4 cross-disciplinary researchers attended demonstration of CapCo GLAMTECH facilities of redacted letters, sparking questions and discussion, and interest in heritage science |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Workshop using scanning equipment |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A workshop at the Jesus College Digital Hub which is an open, collaborative space to promote the very best interdisciplinary learning and research. the workshop included the use and application of scanners that were purchased as part of the AHRC Capability for Collections fund. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.jesuscollegeoxford450.co.uk/ |
| Description | o 3d models of fossils from the 'Upper Thames Pleistocene' project have been made publicly available online |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 3d models of fossils from the 'Upper Thames Pleistocene' project have been made publicly available online for study and general interest through SketchFab. The Oxford University Museum of Natural History houses a large collection of Pleistocene mammals, dating back to the time of the Ice Ages. This includes thousands of local fossils excavated from sites along the River Thames in Oxfordshire. Fossils from a particularly rich fossil site near Stanton Harcourt show us what life was like in the Thames Valley around 200,000 years ago. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://sketchfab.com/morethanadodo/collections/ice-age-mammals-of-oxfordshire |
| Description | podcast episode |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We produced an episode 'Beneath the Blue' for the podcast series "Museum Secrets" by the Ashmolean museum. The episode is available in English on Spotify and on the museum website. The main goal was to disseminate among the general public the outcomes resulting from the application of scientific methods to the study of artworks. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LfPOATWZCvYRGnPPXyVLd |
| Description | video to accompany a temporary display |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A video linked to a temporary display called 'Pigments Revealed' in the Ashmolean's permanent Conservation gallery, explaining an analytical project and the use of analytical equipment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iEcKVbs_zI |