Awards & Honors

Submisson Deadline: February 1

We award members and allied professionals for outstanding and distinguished contributions to the field of conservation.

Nominate Edit Nomination

Nomination Guidelines

  • Write a letter outlining why the nominee deserves this award.
  • Collect letters from at least two additional co-sponsors. If self-nominating, collect at least three letters from sponsors.
  • Current members of the Board of Directors are not eligible.
  • In support of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, the committee gives special consideration to nominees whose work addresses the DEIA goals expressed in our current strategic plan and/or who identify as BIPOC or are members of groups underrepresented in the profession.

Contact Us

awards@culturalheritage.org or 202.661.8065

Individuals

Teaching, Mentoring, and Practicing

We award the Robert L. Feller Lifetime Achievement Award for exceptional contributions to the conservation profession over the course of one's career.

Criteria

  • Distinguished service to the field of conservation over the course of one’s professional career
  • Exceptional contributions with significant impact to the functioning or advancement of the conservation profession
  • Outstanding and sustained dedication to the field in a manner consistent with the highest standards of the profession
  • Distinction as an eminent authority in some aspect of conservation practice, scholarship, research, education, or management of nationally recognized initiatives.
  • Candidates must be an Professional Associate or Fellow member.

Additional Guidelines

  • Nominations should describe conservation and preservation activities that demonstrate the candidate's lifetime of contributions to the advancement of the conservation profession.
  • Nominations should include visual documentation (photos, slides, etc.).
  • Nominations should show how the candidate has broadened its community’s understanding of the goals of conservation.
  • Nominations may come from candidates themselves, but we encourage additional letters of support.
  • Nominators should know that we may sometimes award more than one person in the same year when merited.

We present the Keck Award for excellence in the education and training of conservation professionals at all levels. During their long careers, Caroline and Sheldon Keck were dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge and training of conservators through scientific research, publications, and the establishment of major university programs for advanced conservation education and training.

Criteria

Nominations should address one or more of the following:

  • The instruction of pre-program applicants in a private, regional, or museum conservation laboratory to explain the basics of conservation procedures, approaches, and ethics in any specialty, including conservation science.
  • The organization and supervision of internship and apprenticeship training in any specialty.
  • The instruction of students in conservation or cultural heritage science at the undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral level.
  • The organization and teaching of courses, seminars, and workshops.


Membership is required.

Additional Guidelines

  • Strong nominations include letters from both students and colleagues.
  • Nominations that reference activities beyond the traditional classroom/laboratory are encouraged.

We award honorary membership to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the conservation profession. This recognition is one of the highest honors bestowed by AIC, celebrating exceptional achievements that have significantly advanced the field.

Criteria

  • The recipient must have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the preservation or understanding of cultural heritage through their work, research, or advocacy.
  • The recipient’s contributions should have a significant and lasting impact on the conservation profession, influencing practices, policies, or the broader understanding of preservation issues.
  • Honorary Membership is open to both current AIC members and non-members. This includes, but is not limited to, conservators, researchers, educators, current and former AIC/FAIC staff, and professionals from allied fields.

Additional Guidelines

  • Honorary Membership is open to individuals at all stages of their careers and from all sectors, whether they are directly involved in conservation or from related fields that support and enhance the work of conservation professionals.
  • Nominations should provide a detailed account of the nominee’s contributions to the conservation profession, including specific examples of their work, impact, and how they have advanced the field.

Professional members who have advanced the field of conservation in unique and exceptional ways are eligible for Fellow election.

Qualifications

Current Professional Members:

  • who have five (5) years of membership in that category
  • who have a minimum of ten years of experience after conservation training or part-time experience which equals twelve (12) years of full-time experience. Within that timeframe, individuals should have developed: considerable professional skills and judgment with demonstrable achievement in such areas as conservation treatment practice, scholarly research, education, scientific investigation, and preservation management; a noteworthy record of service within our organization and the profession, such as serving as a volunteer leader in the organization, encouraging promotion of conservation and the organization, publishing, education, and mentoring; and a proven track record in advocating for our Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice. Nominees can count any time spent in post-graduate fellowships or internships toward the length of experience requirement.

The Award for Excellence in Practice recognizes the development and execution of hands-on skills in cultural heritage preservation by professionals at any stage of their career. It will offer a $2,000 cash stipend to each of the up to five recipients every year, as well as registration and travel costs for the annual meeting, and one year of membership. This award is sponsored by a generous three-year grant from the Maxwell-Hanrahan Foundation. 

Criteria

  • Demonstrated excellence in hands-on practical work. 
  • Preference will be given to nominations highlighting a project carried out in the past five years. 
  • Membership is required.

The Publication Award recognizes excellence in an article, book, or series on conservation or cultural heritage science.

Criteria

  • Must not be from JAIC or specialty group postprint
  • Must have been published during the last three years
  • May be a book or article on any topic related to the broad field of conservation and preservation of cultural heritage and cultural heritage science (research and technical studies, treatment case studies, education, policy, philosophy and ethics, history, etc.) that demonstrates a significant contribution to the profession
  • May be an interdisciplinary publication
  • May be authored by non-members and/or allied professionals
  • May be a publication published in an electronic format

 

Additional Guidelines

  • Publications should meet generally accepted guidelines for best practices such as:
    • Transparency about who contributed to the work as an author or contributor
    • Citations and references to appropriate and relevant literature
    • Follows professional and ethical guidelines
  • Letters of support which include a statement regarding the impact on the profession make for a stronger application

Advocacy and Service

The Rutherford John Gettens Award recognizes outstanding service to the association.

Criteria

Outstanding service to the association may include activities such as the following:

  • Service on the board, committees, task forces, and working groups
  • Service on the editorial board of our publications
  • Service in Specialty Group activities (i.e. officer, editor of publications, program chair)
  • Service in public outreach activities and education of allied professionals
  • Fundraising for our programs
  • Promoting the importance of conservation and the work of the association to national, regional, and local leaders in government, business, media, public, and private foundations

The David Magoon-University Products Conservation Advocacy Award recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of AIC members who, through substantial efforts in public outreach and advocacy, have advanced the field of conservation and furthered the cause of conservation. Recipients receive a $2,000 stipend courtesy of University Products.

Criteria

  • Demonstrated commitment to public outreach and advocacy
  • Membership is required

The President of AIC presents this award annually to recognize exceptional service to the organization or the field of cultural heritage preservation and conservation. This award typically honors individuals who have made significant contributions within the past year but can also recognize impactful service over a longer period when responding to urgent needs or emerging challenges.

Examples of qualifying service include leading conservation efforts during natural disasters, advancing organizational preparedness, or contributing to pivotal projects that ensure the continuity and success of the organization and the field.

We present the Emerging Leader Award to recognize outstanding service to the organization by a member in the early stage of their career.

Criteria

Nominees may be pre-program members, student members, post-graduate members, or early career members, defined as up to five years following completion of training.

Outstanding service to the organization may include such activities as the following:

  • Publication of articles (such as in the AIC newsletter or AIC Wiki) and presenting of research at meetings
  • Leadership in specialty groups, networks, committees, task forces, and working groups.
  • Fundraising for conservation programming, such as contributing to or a co-authoring grant proposal
  • Outreach to the public and allied professionals
  • Advocacy for the importance of conservation and the work of the organization

We present the Foundation Service Award Leader Award for outstanding service to the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation. The foundation board of directors awards this at its discretion.

Allied Professionals

The Allied Professionals Special Recognition award recognizes the work and contributions from professionals in other fields to the advancement of the conservation profession.

We present the College Art Association-American Institute for Conservation Award  for those who have enhanced understanding of art through the application of knowledge and experience in conservation, art history, and art.

The Forbes Medal recognizes a nationally prominent figure for distinguished contributions to the field of conservation and celebrates those whose work on a national or international platform has significantly advanced the preservation of cultural heritage. We usually present the award in the recipient's locale.

EDWARD WALDO FORBES (1873-1969)

Edward Waldo Forbes (1873-1969) was born on Naushon Island, Massachusetts, into a family of significant cultural influence. His father, William Hathaway Forbes, was the first president of the American Bell Telephone Company, and his mother, Edith Emerson Forbes, was the daughter of poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. Educated at Milton Academy and Harvard (A.B., 1895), Forbes developed a passion for fine arts under the guidance of Charles Eliot Norton. Furthering this interest, he studied English literature at Oxford from 1900 to 1902.

Forbes' art career began in earnest after his return to Cambridge in 1902. He formed the Harvard Riverside Associates to acquire land that would later become part of Harvard's campus. In 1903, he became a trustee of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and, a year later, of the Fogg Museum. He married Margaret Laighton in 1907, with whom he had five children.

In 1909, Forbes became the director of the Fogg Museum, transforming it from a modest institution into a world-renowned center for art study and conservation by the time he retired in 1944. He worked closely with Paul J. Sachs to build the Fogg's collections, establish its conservation program, and train future museum leaders. Under their leadership, the museum's financial stability and academic influence grew significantly.

Forbes pioneered the scientific analysis of artworks, founding the first fine arts conservation facility in the U.S. at the Fogg in 1928. His efforts in conservation and technical studies, including the early use of X-rays to examine paintings, were groundbreaking.

Forbes' contributions to art and conservation were widely recognized. He received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including the Legion of Honor in 1937. He remained active in the art world and conservation efforts until his death in 1969.

Specialties

We present the Paintings Award for extraordinary contribution and achievement in paintings conservation.

We present the Photographic Materials Award for extraordinary contribution and achievement in photographic preservation.

We present the Textiles Award for outstanding contributions to the field of textiles conservation.

Organizations

The Distinguished Award for Advancement of the Field of Conservation recognizes institutions for vital and long-standing support of professional development  activities of conservators.

Criteria

  • Organizations, which may include a business entity, must have been in operation for at least five years
  • Professional development may include, but is not limited to: fellowships, internships, or post-doctoral opportunities; courses/workshops/seminars; research opportunities or support


Nominators must document all programmatic, financial, or project-oriented support.

The Ross Merrill Award for Outstanding Commitment to the Preservation and Care of Collections honors institutions in North America that have shown an exemplary and sustained commitment to conservation and collections care through interpretation, research, scholarship, education, and/or public outreach.

Criteria

  • Nominee should be a North American not-for-profit organization of any size responsible for cultural property that may include collections, historic sites and structures. Cultural property is defined as material that may be artistic, historic, scientific, religious or social and is an invaluable and irreplaceable legacy that must be preserved for future generations. Collections can include fine arts, library and archival materials, natural history, natural science, musical instruments, textiles, technology, archaeology, ethnography and photography. If a collection is located in a historical building or site, that building or site should be considered part of the collection. If the nominee does not own objects, historic structures or sites, a case may be made regarding how its activities affect cultural property, for instance through funding or advocacy. Organizations that have preservation or conservation as their sole and exclusive purpose are not eligible recipients of this award.
  • Nominators should provide evidence of the nominee’s sustained and exemplary commitment to the preservation and care of its collections through description of its conservation and preservation activities, special programs and involvement of conservation professionals in decision-making processes. Providing evidence of how the organization has broadened its community’s understanding of the goals of conservation and the importance of preserving cultural property through its conservation activities can strengthen a nomination.
  • Nominators can be any individual within or outside the organization, although when the nomination comes from outside it is useful if the nomination package includes a letter from the institution's director. Letters of support are welcome, and are most appropriate when they come from outside the organization and from individuals knowledgeable about conservation.

Guidelines

  • Nominations should show evidence of involvement of senior conservation professionals who are recognized by their peers, such as Fellows or Professional Associates of the American Institute for Conservation. Nominators should demonstrate this by including a brief (one page or less) summary of the professional credentials of key conservation professionals and describe the role they have played at the institution.
  • Nominations should show evidence of a systematic approach to long-term planning for collections care. Nominators can demonstrate this by descriptions of maintenance plans, condition surveys, future treatment priorities, staffing plans, disaster preparedness guidelines, or storage redesign and upgrades.
  • Nominations should show evidence of community impact and involvement. Nominators can demonstrate this by fundraising efforts, volunteer programs, or educational activities with community groups and schools.
  • Nominations should show evidence of outreach in the form of websites, radio and television coverage, or local newspaper articles.
  • Nominations should show evidence of attempts to recruit support from multiple financial and or personnel resources.
  • Nominations should show evidence of exemplary work and achievements. This award seeks to recognize organizations and programs that can be held up as models for others to emulate.

We encourage nominators to include visual documentation (photography or video) and other supporting materials (publications, etc.) in their nomination materials. Many successful applicants submitted for several award cycles. Re-submissions, particularly with updated information, are always welcome.

A member of our staff, board, or Awards Committee presents the award in the organization's hometown, usually in conjunction with an event involving the organization's board, staff, and various other stakeholders.

This award does not come with any monetary compensation.

About Ross Merrill (1943-2010)

Ross Merrill

Ross Merrill’s career in conservation spanned from 1974 when he completed his training in painting conservation at the Intermuseum Conservation Association and Oberlin College until his retirement as Chief of Conservation at the National Gallery of Art in 2009. From 1974-1983 he served as head of conservation at the Cleveland Museum of Art. His influence on the field of conservation reached far beyond the institutions where he worked as conservator or head of the department. Throughout his career Ross sought to improve the visibility of preservation and the stature of practicing conservators. He served on advisory committees for several museums and conservation centers, chaired the National Institute for Conservation of Cultural Property, was on the board of the National Conservation Advisory Council, and participated in other organizations concerned with the care of cultural property. Ross gave numerous lectures on the preservation and treatment of works of art, art in transit, and artists materials and techniques, a life-long passion of his. At the National Gallery he expanded the number of staff from 15 to 55, found funding to support conservation fellowships and staff positions, and championed conservators’ and scientists’ roles in research, publishing, and public outreach. Even though he was at the top of a demanding profession, Ross thought of himself first as a plein-air painter and shared his expertise with many friends and students.

Awards Committee

Emily Hamilton

Chair (2024-2025)

Emily Hamilton holds an M.A. and Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) in conservation from Buffalo State College and a B.A. in art history from Reed College. She is currently the Assistant Professor of Objects Conservation at Buffalo State College. Emily was a co-organizer of the "Tech Focus IV: Caring for 3D-printed Art" conference and currently serves on the AIC Awards Committee and OSG Nominating Committee. 

Jane Klinger

Member (2023-2025)

Jane Klinger is the Senior Research Conservator and Special Advisor at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She manages the Analytical Lab and oversees research in the materials of the mid-twentieth century. Previously, she served as the Chief Conservator, responsible for the conservation and preservation management of the Museum collections and the holdings of the USHMM Archives and Library. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in Conservation in Florence, Italy at the Villa Schifanoia, Rosary College Graduate School of Fine Arts in 1979. After graduating, she established the first paper conservation laboratory for the prints department of the Galleria Moderna at the Pitti Palace in Florence. Prior to returning to the United States, she worked on various projects in Belgium, Italy, and Israel. Her first American job was Assistant Paper Conservator at Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Delaware. In 1985, Ms. Klinger became the Paper Conservator at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. In 1987 she began working for the National Archives and Records Administration and was sent to the Pacific Sierra Region Branch in San Bruno, California to establish the first National Archives preservation and conservation laboratory outside the District of Columbia. She has taught paper conservation in Brazil and Bolivia, has served as part of the teaching staff of the Society of American Archivists Preservation Management Training Program, and has presented papers to various professional groups in the United States and abroad. Ms Klinger is a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), held various positions in BPG, and has served on the AIC board. She is a Past President President of the Washington Conservation Guild. She is currently the Chair of the Research and Technical Studies Specialty Group (RATS) of AIC. Ms. Klinger is also on the Chair of IC-MEMO, an international committee of the International Council of Museums. 

Vanessa Applebaum

Vanessa Applebaum

Member (2024-2026)

Originally from Florida, I now live in Ohio, where I am Director of Conservation for the Toledo Museum of Art. I previously lived in London, where I worked for the Science Museum Group and the Victoria & Albert Museum. I am the founder and previous co-chair of the UK Institute of Conservation's Modern Materials Network. My research interests include the preservation of modern materials and time based media, additive manufacturing, and the public understanding of the field of conservation. 

Patricia O'Regan

Samantha Springer

Board Liaison (2020-2027), 2nd Term

 Samantha Springer is a conservator of sculpture and three-dimensional objects with a particular interest in working with living artists of contemporary art that are typically marginalized and underrepresented in Western institutional collections. As owner and principal conservator of Art Solutions Lab based in the Portland/Lake Oswego, Oregon area, Springer works toward providing ethical and practical solutions to collection stewards who seek the guidance of a conservation practitioner. Art Solutions Lab offers professional and high-quality consultations, loan & pre-accession evaluations, broad collection assessments, grant writing assistance, courier services, learning & lecture opportunities, expert evaluations for insurance claims, as well as preventive and hands-on treatment services for sculpture, decorative art objects, utilitarian artifacts, some textiles, installation art, and modern and contemporary materials. Prior to starting Art Solutions Lab, Springer worked as Conservator at the Portland Art Museum, where she was responsible for the preservation and direct treatment of the broad Fine Arts collection, establishing and maintaining a lab at the museum proper, and integrating conservation theory into everyday museum practices. This followed her work as Associate Conservator of Objects at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Springer graduated from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation in 2008 and held internships at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, and Alaska State Museums. 

Nancie Ravenel

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe

Staff Liaison

Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe is Executive Director of the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation and American Institute for Conservation. Her extensive nonprofit leadership experience is primarily in service to the arts and culture sector focused on development, coalition building, membership service, advocacy, and communications and marketing. Lissa has worked extensively in messaging and promoting equitable access to the arts and humanities through local and national events. Past leadership roles include Executive Director of DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative and Future of Music Coalition. Past Development Director roles include Pittsburgh Glass Center and MoMA PS1. Lissa was Programs Director of American Council for the Arts (now Americans for the Arts), where she led national Arts Advocacy Day during the “culture wars” of the 1990s.

In addition to her work advancing the arts and cultural heritage, Lissa has a long history of leadership with social justice organizations, including roles of National Program Director of PAX: Real Solutions to Gun Violence (now part of Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence), where she led national programs to support ending gun violence against children. She served as the National Corporate Sponsorship Officer and National Senior Team Director of MZA Events, where she honed her team-based strategies producing AIDS Walks and Dance-a-thons raising millions of dollars benefiting AIDS service organizations nationwide.

Storytelling and communications have played a major role in Lissa’s work. She had a public relations firm where she led marketing, program development, and fundraising to support the arts, food, cultural and community events in Pittsburgh and New York City. Her educational background includes degrees and advanced study in Art History, Fine Arts, and Museum Studies. Current board service includes the National Cherry Blossom Festival and Arts Lab of South County. Lissa spends most evenings listening to vinyl while working on sculptures in her studio on the Western Chesapeake. Personal interests include anything square, transparent, plastic, and pickled. She likes to wear black.

Ryan Winfield

Ryan Winfield

Staff Liaison

After graduating from Mary Washington College in 2004 with a BA in art history and historic preservation, Ryan moved to DC, where he got his first job working for a small association management firm. After that he worked at a national arts advocacy organization before coming to AIC in the summer of 2007 as its Membership Assistant. He is currently the Membership Manager. Ryan likes living in DC where he enjoys learning about its history, its local politics, and its public transportation system. In his spare time, he likes to cook, travel, and finish the many DIY projects he has going on in his apartment. 

Past Honorees

See a historical list of Awards and Recipients on our wiki.

2025 Honorees

Congratulations to everyone honored at our annual meeting!

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