Join the National Heritage Science Forum (NHSF) as we explore how the UK heritage science community can collaborate to provide and access distributed research infrastructure for heritage science.

Come along and gain an up-to-date picture of the proposed RICHeS programme as well as a range of practical insights from infrastructure coordinators, providers and users. There will be frequent opportunities for engagement with speakers and other attendees. The outcomes of the day's discussions will help enable collaboration and operational planning for this enhanced research and innovation infrastructure.

For more background on the infrastructure project, click here.

You can register to attend the event in-person or online (via Zoom).

The day's programme will include the following. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.

Arrivals & Welcome (10:00am – 10:30am)

Professor Nigel Llewelyn, Chair of the NHSF, will provide the welcome and guide attendees in agreeing the aims for the day.

Keynotes (10:30am – 12:00pm)

RICHeS (Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science): How the AHRC is planning to invest in heritage science infrastructure – Dr Joanna Dunster, Senior Investment Manager, Heritage and International Research Infrastructures, Arts & Humanities Research Council
SYNTHESYS: an integrated European infrastructure for natural history collections – Dr Kristina Gorman, Natural History Museum

Lunch & AGM (12:00pm – 1:00pm)

The NHSF AGM (for members only) will take place from 12:45 – 1:00pm. Pre-registration is essential. Please see Notice of 10th AGM which has been circulated separately to member organisation representatives and which is available online here.

Case Study Presentations (1:00pm – 2:30pm)

These short presentations will be given by speakers with experience in providing and accessing research infrastructure:

Access: 'Banqueting House, Whitehall – Rubens ceiling paintings technical conservation research, MOLAB experience' by Dr Constantina Vlachou, Historic Royal Palaces.
Provision: 'Starting from scratch – creating a framework for heritage science research access at The National Archives' by Dr Lora Angelova, The National Archives.
Networks: 'Developing the Cambridge Heritage Science Hub (CHERISH)' by Professor Erma Hermens, Hamilton Kerr Institute and Fitzwilliam Museum.
Digilab: 'Plans for the digital component of IPERION HS and ERIHS IP' by Marika Spring, The National Gallery.

Discussion Session (3:00pm – 4:00pm)

An opportunity for break-out groups to address the question: What are the critical success factors for a distributed research and innovation infrastructure?

Attendees will be asked to reflect on the research infrastructure needs of themselves and of their organisation and consider what should be the priorities for the proposed RICHeS investment.

To help formulate their answers, participant groups might consider these aspects of the issue:

Networks: how should these be formed? How should networks spread the benefits of the investment?
User needs: how should these be met?
Information capture: how can we capture knowledge about the benefits that the investment will deliver?
Digital systems: how can these be used to connect equipment, individuals and digital content?
The NHSF: what role should the Forum play on behalf of the sector in promoting the new infrastructure and in supporting its work?

Further information

Background

The importance of infrastructure* to heritage science is now recognised across the research and innovation ecosystem. Significant investments have already been made in EU-funded infrastructure (such as IPERION and E-RIHS) and more investment in UK infrastructure is planned by AHRC (subject to business case approval). As this new investment is being planned, what can we learn from history? Experience suggests that both providers and potential users of heritage science infrastructure face a range of practical issues, which present variously as opportunities and challenges. For example, heritage science infrastructure is currently unevenly distributed both geographically (including across the UK and internationally) and across multiple communities of practice (such as conservators and materials scientists).

* Research and innovation infrastructures are facilities, resources and services that are used by the research and innovation communities to conduct research and foster innovation in their fields. Find out more on the UKRI website.

About this event

The event is intended to bring together ideas and opinions across the Heritage Science sector and to allow the NHSF to listen to its members and stakeholders. The outcomes from the day’s discussions will help enable collaboration and operational planning for an enhanced UK heritage science research and innovation infrastructure. Participants will gain an up-to-date picture of the development of the proposed RICHeS (Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science) programme as well as a range of practical insights from infrastructure coordinators, providers and users based on experience to date. There will be frequent opportunities for discussion and engagement with speakers and other attendees, and a breakout session in the afternoon will enable participants to reflect on the plans for RICHeS, the benefits they anticipate and any issues that they feel should be addressed as they reflect on the infrastructure needs of the future. The Forum is particularly interested in participants’ views on the development of networks, methods of engaging potential users and impact methodologies necessary for a successful access programme.

Arrivals & Welcome (10:00am – 10:30am)

K﻿eynotes (10:30am – 12:00pm)

Lunch & AGM (12:00pm – 1:00pm)

C﻿ase Study Presentations (1:00pm – 2:30pm)

D﻿iscussion Session (3:00pm – 4:00pm)

F﻿urther information

Keynotes (10:30am – 12:00pm)

Case Study Presentations (1:00pm – 2:30pm)

Discussion Session (3:00pm – 4:00pm)

Further information

Distributed Infrastructure: Provision and use in practice