Helen Burgess (scientist)

Helen Diana Burgess (28 July 1951 – 24 August 1999), was a Canadian conservation scientist. Burgess spent her career at the Canadian Conservation Institute ("CCI"), where she was a Senior Conservation Scientist.[1] She was a researcher in paper and textiles conservation processes and an expert in the areas of cellulose degradation analysis, conservation bleaching, washing, enzyme applications on paper, as well as aqueous and mass deacidification of paper.[1][2][3]

For other people with the same name, see Helen Burgess.
Helen Diana Burgess
Born(1951-07-28)July 28, 1951
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
DiedAugust 24, 1999(1999-08-24) (aged 48)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
CitizenshipCanada
Alma materUniversity of Lethbridge
University of British Columbia
Queen's University
Known forartifact conservation
Scientific career
FieldsOrganic chemistry, conservation-restoration
InstitutionsCanadian Conservation Institute

Career

Helen Burgess obtained her Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) (Honours) from the University of Lethbridge in 1973. Burgess subsequently went to the University of British Columbia, where she graduated with a Masters of Science in bio-organic chemistry. She then went on to obtain a Masters of Conservation from Queen's University, specializing in conservation science.[1] At Queen's, her Masters thesis dealt with the degradation of cellulose during conservation bleaching treatments.[3]

In 1978, Burgess joined CCI in its Conservation Processes Research department.[1] Burgess ultimately became its Senior Conservation Scientist, a position she held until her retirement in 1998. Her primary focus was the conservation of paper artifacts,[3] but she also handled other materials, such as textiles. For several decades, the primary guidance for conservation bleaching practices was dominated by guidelines Burgess helped develop.[4][5] Burgess was the first conservation-restoration scientist to classify the chemical analysis of treated specimens, and to find an application for bleaching agents in paper conservation.[4][6] Burgess published numerous articles in a variety of academic journals and industry publications.[7] Burgess was also a frequent presenter at conservation, restoration, and scientific conferences. She was one of the scientists featured on a 1990 episode of The Nature of Things, "Turning to Dust", about the deterioration of paper in old books around the world and efforts to preserve them.[8][9]

Burgess died a year after her retirement, in 1999.[1][2] At the annual conference of the Western Association for Art Conservation following her death, several of the presentations were dedicated to her memory.[10]

References
  1. Gulcev, Makedonka (2015). "Helen Burgess, (MAC 1979, research), Senior Conservation Scientist, Canadian Conservation Institute" (PDF). Queen's University Department of Art History and Conservation. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  2. McCawley, Cliff; Tse, Season (March 1998). "Turning a page: Helen Burgess retires = Helen D. Burgess tournes la page". CCI Newsletter (21): 17–18.
  3. Petherbridge, Guy (1987). Conservation of Library and Archive Materials and the Graphic Arts. London: Butterworths. p. 328. ISBN 0-408-01466-0.
  4. Brückle, Irene (December 2009). "Bleaching Paper in Conservation: Decision-Making Parameters". Restaurator: International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material. 30 (4): 321–332.
  5. Burgess, Helen (1987). "Paper Conservation Catalogue" (PDF). Conservation Online. Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  6. Burgess, Helen (1988). "Practical Considerations for Conservation Bleaching. Journal of the IIC-Canadian Group 13 (1988):11 – 26" (PDF). Journal of CAC - Archived Issues. The Canadian Association for Conservation of Cultural Property. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  7. "Burgess, Helen Diana 1951-". WorldCat Identities. OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  8. "The Nature of Things-". Curio.ca. CBC/Radio-Canada. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  9. "Catalogue record "The nature of things: Turning to dust"". CCI Library Catalogue and Staff Bibliography. Government of Canada. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  10. "Conference Review (WAAC Newsletter Jan 2000 Volume 22 Number 2)". Western Association for Art Conservation. Western Association for Art Conservation. January 2000. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
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