Catharine Hawks is an objects conservator specializing in natural history collections. Before becoming the museum conservator for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), she was in private practice for over 20 years, working with nearly 100 institutional clients in the U.S. and abroad. At the NMNH, she coordinated conservation services throughout the museum, working with buildings management, collections, and exhibitions staff as well as health and safety professionals. She has published and lectured widely on hazards related to collections. Ms. Hawks is a former member of the George Washington University Museum Studies faculty, where she co-taught two courses in preventive conservation annually for 15 years. She is a Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation, and a Professional Member and former member of the Board of Directors of the American Institute for Conservation.