(302e) Art Conservation and Chemical Engineering Product Design

Chemical engineering reaches into many different fields, even art conservation and the broader field of cultural heritage science. A two-day synchronous module was developed for an upper-level product design course. An art conservation scientist was interviewed and took questions from the class on techniques and problem-solving experiences with art objects. A case study followed on applying the design process to a current art conservation problem of stabilizing flaking paint given several client and chemical constraints. This module offered a look at a non-traditional application of chemical engineering fundamentals with a mix of art and engineering, which may catch the interest of students to expand their perspective on technical career paths.