Fellowships & Internships

Hagop Kevorkian Fund Fellowship for the Conservation of Islamic Ceramics

The National Museum of Asian Art holds in trust some of the world’s finest ceramics from the Islamic world. A survey carried out from 2007–2008 by the NMAA Department of Conservation and Scientific Research (CSR) showed that several of these objects needed conservation treatment before being exhibited or published. To undertake this project, NMAA received a generous grant from the Hagop Kevorkian Fund in support of a two-year fellowship that focuses on the treatment of ceramics. A second grant was awarded for the conservation of manuscripts and paintings from the Islamic world.

The ceramic conservation fellowship began in the fall of 2012 with the treatment of several unstable objects that were identified in the condition survey. Six ceramics suffered from soluble salts and/or chemically unstable glazes. They were degrading actively, which could have led to losses or other damage. These objects were treated in order to minimize the process of alteration.

After the works were stabilized, a list of treatment priorities was put together with help from Massumeh Farhad, chief curator and curator of Islamic art. The top priority was to treat ceramics that required conservation before they could be displayed in the galleries. Most of these works had been restored previously—many before they were acquired by the National Museum of Asian Art—and their restorations had aged and discolored.

Read more about the conservation work undertaken

Hagop Kevorkian Fund Fellowship for the Conservation of Islamic Manuscripts and Paintings

In early September 2013, the Freer and Sackler welcomed Hagop Kevorkian Fellow Amanda Malkin to the paper conservation lab. The two-year Kevorkian fellowship supported conservation treatment of at least one hundred Islamic manuscript folios, helping to preserve and stabilize the many treasures within the manuscript collections. Islamic manuscript paintings are inherently unstable due to the way they were created. The application of numerous layers of paint, burnishing of each layer between subsequent applications, and painting on top of layers of gold paint or leaf all contribute to insecurity and a lack of adhesion of the pigment to the paper support. This leads to the cracking, lifting, and flaking of the media, which can eventually fall off the support if it is not treated. Additional condition issues observed in Islamic manuscripts include the presence of accretions, or foreign material, such as adhesives, wax, or fly droppings that have become stuck to the surface of the paint or the paper. These can obscure the minute details that distinguish these miniature paintings, as well as cause deterioration or discoloration of the paint or paper.

During her fellowship, Malkin worked under the stereomicroscope to document the condition of the manuscripts’ pages, illuminations, and illustrations; consolidated unstable media; and mechanically reduced surface accretions. Additionally, Amanda worked with paper conservator Emily Jacobson and senior conservation scientist Blythe McCarthy on a research project to provide further insight into the treatment of darkened lead white on Islamic works.

Malkin graduated from Northumbria University in 2012 with an MA in the conservation of fine art, specializing in works of art on paper. She was a Kress Fellow at the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts. She has interned at the National Galleries of Scotland, with a private paper conservator in the United Kingdom, and at the Williamstown Conservation Center in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The Kevorkian fellowship at the Freer and Sackler enhanced and encouraged Amanda’s appreciation of miniature paintings while preparing and training her to assist other museums with their Islamic collections in the future.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, Department of Conservation and Scientific Research, is pleased to announce the Hirayama Japanese Painting Conservation Fellowship. The fellowship is a full-time (40 hours/week) commitment awarded for one year with a possible extension for a second year. The fellowship carries a yearly stipend of $50,000 along with a yearly $4,000 travel/research allowance. Japanese language training may also be provided. The fellow will be required to maintain health insurance during the fellowship. The fellowship is expected to begin during the second half of 2023.

The fellow will train in the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio (EAPCS), studying the materials and methods of Japanese painting conservation and remounting. The fellowship cultivates practical skills and fosters a solid understanding of the cultural contexts of traditional mounting, conservation philosophy, and the ethics of the conservation profession in general.

The fellow will take part in EAPCS activities, including condition surveys, remedial treatment, and complete and partial remounting to help prepare collections for exhibit or loan. Conservation work may also include preventive conservation for storage and display as well as collaboration with other museum staff members. The fellow will participate in education and outreach activities and will produce outreach materials such as blogs, presentations, and articles.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, Department of Conservation and Scientific Research (CSR), is pleased to announce the Mellon Chinese Painting Conservation Fellowship. The fellowship is a full-time (40 hours/week) commitment awarded for one year with a possible extension for a second year. The fellowship carries a yearly stipend of $50,000 along with a yearly $4,000 travel/research allowance. The fellow will be required to maintain health insurance through the duration of the fellowship. The fellowship is expected to begin during the second half of 2023.

The fellow will train in the East Asian Painting Conservation Studio (EAPCS), studying the materials and methods of Chinese painting conservation and remounting. The fellowship cultivates practical skills and fosters a solid understanding of the cultural contexts of traditional mounting, conservation philosophy, and the ethics of the conservation profession in general.

The fellow will take part in EAPCS activities, including condition surveys, remedial treatment, and complete and partial remounting to help prepare collections for exhibit or loan. Conservation work may also include preventive conservation for storage and display as well as collaboration with other members of CSR. The fellow will participate in education and outreach activities and will produce outreach materials such as blogs, presentations, and articles.

The National Museum of Asian Art is thrilled to partner with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg (SRAL) in the Mellon-funded Indian Conservation Fellowship Program. These fellowships are designed to broaden the experience of conservators currently working in art and cultural heritage museums and institutions in India. Six to eight fellowships are awarded annually, each for a period of three to six months. The National Museum of Asian Art hosts one of these fellows per year.

Applicants must be conservators with daily responsibility for the care of objects. Preference will be given to conservators at a relatively early stage of their careers (approximately three to eight years conservation experience) and employed by museums or other institutions in India concerned with the study, conservation, and display of the country’s artistic and cultural heritage. Knowledge of conservation principles and a basic academic background in conservation practice and artists’ materials are expected, as well as a strong grasp of spoken and written English.

The fellowship includes support for travel to the host institution as well as research travel for conferences, seminars, and visits to other conservation laboratories or cultural institutions. Health care coverage, visa expenses, and costs for residence permits are also covered. At the end of their fellowship, fellows will be able to purchase tools, equipment, and supplies for use at their home institutions.

Past Fellows

2019

Tariq Azhar Syed, Senior Technical Restorer and Museum InCharge at the Rampur Raza Library, Rampur, India

Tariq received degrees in museology and conservation at the Aligarh Muslim University in Aligarh, India. He also received a MSc in Chemistry from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerat, India. Tariq has received additional training at INTACH ICI Orissa Art Conservation Centre, Bhubaneswar, India, and at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi, India. Tariq has organized both conservation workshops and exhibitions for the Rampur Raza Library in India as well as internationally. His interests go beyond paper and manuscripts and include natural history specimens and taxidermy.

2018

Subir Kumar Dey, paper conservator at the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, India

Subir received his conservation training as an apprentice with Dr. Debika Chatterjee, head of conservation at the Victoria Memorial Hall. He received additional training from British paper conservators during the Calcutta Tercentenary Trust project from 1992 to 1997 at the Victoria Memorial Hall. He interned in paper conservation at the British Museum and worked with conservators Michael Wheeler at the V&A and David Jacob at the British Library.

CSR has hosted hundreds of fellows, interns and volunteers since the department was founded. Below is a list of many of those who have passed through our doors. This list is not complete. If you worked here but don’t see your name please send information about your position, date of work and project to DCSR@si.edu.

2018

• Yuqi Chock, Smithsonian Postgraduate Fellow – Condition survey and conservation of Chinese laquer furniture
• Subir Dey, Mellon Indian Conservation Fellow – Paper conservation
• Francesca Gabrieli, Visiting Researcher – Advanced imaging of Asian jades and paintings
• Niholas Kivi, Fellow – Analysis of jades
• Ersang Ma, Fellow – Qin bronze tuning keys
• Kayci Monar, CIBA Mellon Summer Intern – Introduction to Conservation
• Soon Kai Poh, 4th Year Intern – Objects conservation
• Kathryn Rowberg, Visiting Researcher – Scientific analysis of the 13^th c. painting Miraculous Interventions of Jizo Bosatsu
• Bo Rong, J.S. Lee Fellow – Binding media analysis of polychrome on Terracotta Army
• Jingyi Zhang, Intern – Conservation of ceramics

2017

• Giorgi Medellin, Pre-program intern – X-ray rehousing and glass negative storage

2016

• Elizabeth Holland, Intern – X-ray rehousing
• Akiko Niwa, Visiting Researcher – Japanese painting conservation

2015

• Alicia Hoffman, Intern – FORS
• Eina Kirihara, Fellow – Japanese painting conservation
• Kana Mochiku, Summer Intern – Japanese painting conservation
• Shiori Oguchi, Summer Intern – Japanese painting conservation

2014

• Sydney Beall, Summer Intern – American paintings conservation survey
• Stacy Bowe, Summer Fellow – James Whistler watercolor analysis
• Leah Bright, Pre-program Intern – Ancient Near Eastern Seals
• Radchada Buntem, Fulbright Fellow – Conservation Science
• Emily Cummins, Pre-program Intern – Paper conservation
• Eleanor Gaddy, Intern – Scientific research
• Leah Hair, Summer Intern – Comparison of Detection methods for Red Insect dyes on the Freer HPLC’s
• Amy Hughes, Summer Intern – James Whistler watercolor analysis project
• Chang Jie, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Zhichao Lyu, Andrew W. Mellon Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Sutha Banditpong Walaiporn, Fellow – Conservation Science

2013

• Emily Aloiz, Fellow – Investigation into Achaemenid finishing technology from Persepolis and Pasargadae
• Qian He, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Yihsia Hsiao, Andrew W. Mellon Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Amanda Malkin, Hagop Kevorkian Fellow – Treatment of Islamic art on paper
• Monica McKenna, Intern – Ancient Near Eastern Seals
• Ellen Nigro, Pre-program intern – Egyptian glass analysis and rehousing
• Eve Rosekind, Summer Intern – X-ray digitization project
• Brunella Santorelli, Summer Intern – Egyptian glass and faience

2012

• Wen Hui Chen, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Ana Claro, Fellow – Organic dyes used in Chineses textiles from the 15th to 17th centuries
• Claire Cuyaubere, Hagop Kevorkian Fellow – Conservation of Islamic ceramics
• Seongmin Gim, Summer Intern – Japanese painting conservation
• Molly McGath, Fellow – Provide standard operating protocols for GC/ MS and Pyrolyzer-GC/MS
• Chika Mouri, Fellow – Dye analysis using LC-MS
• Raquel Santos, Fellow – Dye analysis of historical samples from 17th century Indo-Persian carpets

2011

• Stephanie Bogan, Intern – South Asian wall painting
• Tatchi Chung, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Claire Cuyaubere, Intern – Conservation of Ceramics for the Peacock Room Comes to America exhibition
• Tochi Dike, Intern – Conservation science
• Jae Yeol Kim, Intern – Objects conservation
• Elisabetta Polidori, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Going beyond appearances: examination of hidden paint layers in a Gulistan of Sa‘di from the Freer collection using imaging technology
• Amy Tjiong, Intern – Conservation of Ceramics for the Peacock Room Comes to America exhibition
• Sydney Williams, Summer Intern – Whistler pigment analysis
• Yingfei Xiong, Fellow – Ceramics

2010

• Elizabeth Beesley, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Objects conservation
• Cal Berer, Intern – Condition survey of Korean objects
• Frederico Caro, Fellow – Petrography of Cambodian stone
• Lainor Cheng, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Catherine Cousins, Intern – Library cataloguing
• Joel Grossman, Intern – Safety issues with laboratory chemicals
• Zhang Jianlin, Fellow – Buddhist sculpture
• Tomoko Kotajima, Intern – Analysis of ikats
• Sasha Langer, Intern – Rehousing archival materials
• Jillian Mallis, Intern – Thai ceramic petrography
• Morgan Medor, Katzenberger Intern – Analysis of ikats
• Zhou Shuanglin, Fellow – Conservation Science
• Haruhiko Suzuki, Fellow – Japanese painting conservation
• Chiharu Yamakawa, Intern – Japanese painting conservation

2009

• Rae Ellen Bichell, Summer Intern – Objects conservation
• Genevieve Bieniosek, Pre-program intern – Paper conservation
• Raina Chao, Summer Intern – Characterization of Japanese Raku Ceramics and Objects conservation
• Victoria Chisholm, Intern – Analysis of color pigments on Ban Chiang pottery
• Micaela M. Ferreira De Sousa, Fellow – Research on dye analysis and methods of textile conservation
• Christina Finlayson, Summer Intern – Treatment of Herzfeld archive materials
• Xiaojuan Huang, Fellow – Objects conservation
• Erin Knisley, Katzenberger Intern – Organizing reference collection
• Delong Liu, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Sofia LoBianco, Intern – Objects conservation
• Molly McGath, Intern – XRD digitization
• Anastassia Reznik, Pre-program intern – Objects conservation
• Xiaomeng Wang, Fellow – Yaozhou ceramics
• Huimin Zhang, Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation

2008

• Mohamed Akl, Fellow – Objects conservation
• Mahmoud Badawi, Fellow – Objects conservation
• Christina Bisulca, Fellow – Study of organic reds in Chinese painting
• Victoria Chisholm, Pre-program intern – Objects conservation and Condition survey of Korean objects
• Samnang Huot, Intern – Objects conservation of metals
• Susanna Lam, Fellow – Sourcing of Nephrite in Ancient China and Reconstruction of Exchange Network along the Ancient Silk Road prior to Han
• Jiafang Liang, Summer Intern – Conservation of Kizil Wall Paintings
• Natalie Linton, Intern
• Pengzhu Lou, Christensen Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Alexandra Nichols, Pre-program Intern – Objects and Paper conservation
• Atsushi Ogasawara, Intern – Japanese painting conservation
• Yiling Pan, Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Elizabeth Ruebush, Intern – Silk ageing
• Courtney Shimoda, Hirayama Fellow – Japanese painting conservation
• Jianhua Xu, Christensen Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation
• Meili Yang, Fellow – Study of thermal expansion of Ru ware
• Pinfang Zhu, Christensen Foundation Fellow – Chinese painting conservation

2007

• Kerith Koss, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Conservation and Study of Ceramic Vessels from the Ban Chiang Culture, Thailand, in the Collection of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
• J. Israel Favela, Intern – Conservation science
• Briana Feston, Summer Intern – Objects conservation
• Meghan McFarlane, Summer Intern – Objects conservation
• Yae Takahashi, Forbes Fellow – Occurrence and use of blue pigments in later Chinese paintings and occurrence and use of pigments in East Asian art

2006

• Heather Green, Katzenberger Intern
• Kerith Koss, 4th Year Intern – Objects conservation
• Junchang Yang, Forbes Fellow – Metal and jade analysis

2005

• Alex Lim, Intern – Thermal analysis of ceramic glazes
• Ewa Paul, Intern – Paper conservation
• Junchang Yang, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Studies of ancient Chinese bronze, gold, silver and jade

2004

• Özge Gençay-Ustun, Pre-program intern – Object conservation
• Lukas Kraemer, Christensen Foundation Summer Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Takao Miyata, Intern – Japanese painting conservation
• Nina Owczarek, 4th Year Intern – Objects conservation
• Zhouhong Xu, Christensen Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation

2003

• Kathy Hufford, Intern – XRF
• Angela (Waisun) Liu, Henry Luce Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Shiho Sasaki, Smithsonian Conservation Research Fellow – Japanese painting conservation
• Keisuke Sugiyama, Hirayama Fellow – Japanese painting conservation
• Keiko Takai, Intern – Japanese painting conservation

2002

• Tzuan Chang, Henry Luce Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Jaejin Choi, Summer Intern – Objects conservation
• Nicole Grabow, 3rd Year Intern – Objects conservation
• Sunhsing Hung, Henry Luce Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation

2001

• Christine Downie, Summer Intern – Analysis and Treatment of Kubachi Ceramics
• Kathleen Garland, Henry Luce Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Leijeng Lin, Henry Luce Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Caroline Quinlin, Henry Luce Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• E.D. Tully, Kress Fellow – Survey and Treatment of the Paul Singer Collection

2000

• Regina Belard (Ng), Hirayama Fellow – Japanese painting conservation
• Sheila Flack, Intern – Digitize Freer study collection sherds
• Tonja Morris, Intern – Objects conservation
• Emmanuel Peschard, Summer Intern – Japanese painting conservation
• Rongyu Su, Forbes Fellow – Corrosion on Shang Bronzes from South China: A case study of the Chenggu Bronzes
• E.D. Tully, 3rd Year Intern – Objects conservation

1999

• Lui Wei, Forbes Fellow – Analysis of low temperature glazed porcelain from Guantai Kiln

1998

• Simona Cristanetti, Intern – Paper conservation
• Amy Krzeminski, 3rd Year Intern – Paper conservation
• Debbie Linn, Summer Intern – Paper conservation
• Sharada Srinivasan, Forbes Fellow – Unresolved problems in the technical characterization and archaeometallurgical study of medieval copper alloy images from south India and high tin bronze alloys from peninsular Indian antiquity

1997

• Michelle Taube, Forbes Fellow – Corrosion study of Chinese bronzes based on samples in the Freer reference collection

1996

• Cindy Connelly Ryan, Forbes Fellow – Binding media analysis of Central Asian manuscript paintings
• Brigette Yeh, Summer Intern – Chinese painting conservation

1995

• Killian Anheuser, Fellow
• Noel Barnard, Intern
• Kathy Byun, Intern – Conservation Science
• Valerie Lee Gouet, French & American Foundation Intern – Chinese painting conservation
• Yunhui Mao, Intern – Objects conservation
• Quanyu Wang, Forbes Fellow – Bronze disease and its treatment

1994

• Victoria Bunting, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Paper conservation
• Sarah Caspi, Intern – Paper conservation
• Jeff Dunbar, Intern – Paper conservation
• Thea Lehming, Intern – Paper conservation
• BD Nandadeva, Forbes Fellow – Materials and Technology of Kandyan and Southern Mural Painting Traditions of Sri Lanka: Mid Eighteenth to late Nineteenth Century
• Sandra Sardjono, Summer Intern – Study of microstructure of East Asian paintings
• Anna Studebaker, Summer Intern – Paper conservation
• Meian Tsu, Intern – Objects conservation

1993

• Christie Checkel, Intern
• Laurie Curry, Intern – Paper conservation
• Jessica Hallett, Fellow – Composition of Islamic ceramic glazes
• Jongouk Hong, Fellow – Study on Production Techniques and Regional Characteristics of Earthenware in the Three Kingdom Periods
• Won Yee Ng, 4th Year Intern/Fellow – Objects conservation

1992

• Richard Barden, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Objects conservation
• Yoshiko Fugi, Summer Intern – East Asian paintings
• Mary Collette Hruskocy, Smithsonian Postgraduate Conservation Fellow – Studying the Forbes pigment collection
• Dongning Wang, Summer Intern – Ordos bronzes

1990

• Ryo Murakami, Fellow – Bunkacho research

1988

• Leonard Gorelick, Fellow – Drilling techniques in ancient Chinese jades

1980

• Hari Narain, Fellow – Examination techniques for ancient metals