SUAC supports the applied physics class Physical Analysis of Artworks

SUAC staff provided lectures and hands-on experiences for students in the applied physics class Physical Analysis of Artworks, taught by professor Hideo Mabuchi. This interdisciplinary course combined art, archaeology, and physics to encourage students to look at cultural heritage objects through the lens of science and quantitative reasoning. SUAC added importnat discussions about ethics and practices surrounding the care treatment, and analysis of cultural objects in collections. The instructors hope to inspire careers in art conservation and archaeological science.

Victoria Hill, a senior majoring in art history, examining a miniature Mesoamerican vessel from the Stanford University Archaeology Collections that features Maya blue pigment (Image credit: Andrew Brodhead).