Dr. Wei (1955) was a senior conservation scientist (retired) in the Research Department of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE). He still conducts research into the effects of cleaning and treatments of objects on their appearance, including:_x000d_
_x000d_
• The use of non-contact roughness measurements to study surface changes, as well as for the identification of objects using “fingerprints”. _x000d_
• The effect of aging and cleaning on the surface and appearance of face-mounted photographs, daguerreotypes, paints, and outdoor sculpture._x000d_
• Effect of dust on the condition and perception of objects._x000d_
• The effect of vibrations and mechanical stresses on the condition of fragile works of art and cultural heritage._x000d_
_x000d_
A major area of interest is how conservation decisions are influenced by the differing perception of objects by art historians, conservation scientists, conservators, curators, directors, and other collections staff. Dr. Wei has trained as a Socratic dialogue moderator and has organized and moderated over sixty dialogues in over a decade, to help museums and conservation professionals understand each other’s and their own views on issues such as conservation ethics for movable and immovable cultural heritage; the value of conservation and the profession; the conservation of photographs, contemporary art, and digitization; the value of archaeological work; and the subject of dust in museums._x000d_