Susanne Rawson (nee Grieve) grew up in a National Register of Historical Places home built in 1851 as part of an idealistic communal society in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was influenced from a young age by the natural setting and admiration for the past. Her formative years were further spent in the Southern USA where she developed a deeper appreciation for the historical and social influences of coastal environments on identify. An exploration of geography and a desire to gain experience in new environments has led her to reside in Taranaki with her family where she is developing her appreciation for the Aotearoa New Zealand past through community based research on underwater and near water heritage sites. _x000d_
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Susanne believes that more open, wide-reaching and transparent communication with realistic goals and resources can lead to better understandings of the past and find future directions for the preservation of significant heritage sites and objects. Through her work as a cultural materials conservator and PhD she strives to reshape heritage practices to incorporate public interactions with the past. Her work is influenced by serving in many roles related to cultural heritage preservation, material culture, and archaeology including non-profit, education, and private practice environments with a variety of materials and in locations from the Arctic to the Antarctic, South America and across the Near East and Africa._x000d_
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Heritage Preservation and Field Support Solutions (HPFS Solutions) is a locally owned and operated cultural materials conservation studio based in Taranaki, Aotearoa New Zealand. In their nine-year journey, the studio has grown to employ a team of heritage professionals led by Director and Senior Conservator Dr. Susanne Rawson. We offer specialist conservation advice and treatment to preserve a range of objects, artworks, and taonga for generations to come. The studio's philosophies centre around community and authenticity. More details can be found on our website: artefactpreservation.com