Spotlight on Current Research

Conservation Center Faculty Awarded 2026 NYU Research Catalyst Grant

Francesco Caruso (Associate Professor of Conservation Science) and Lisa Conte (Assistant Professor of Paper Conservation) have been awarded a 2026 NYU Research Catalyst Grant for MINI-Paper — Multimodal Imaging and NIR Analysis Device for Paper Conservation. In collaboration with NYU Tandon, the Division of Libraries, ArchaeoHub, and the Fondazione Fedrigoni Fabriano, the project will develop an open-source device integrating NIR spectroscopy and visible imaging for non-invasive paper assessment. Two students will be hired as research assistants. The device targets museums, libraries, archives, and conservation studios.

From left to right: Francesco Caruso, Maite Maguregui (Collaborator, Visiting Research Professor at Tandon and Associate Professor at the University of the Basque Country, EHU), Lisa Conte, and Matt Hayes (Collaborator, Assistant Professor of Paintings Conservation). Photo: Marek Golias, 2026.

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