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Art conservation is a field filled with ambiguity, where often there is no single “right” answer to a conservation challenge. This uncertainty can be both frustrating and liberating, especially for students and emerging professionals who are accustomed to clear-cut solutions. In this interactive session, we will explore the role of uncertainty in conservation and how it can be leveraged to foster creativity, critical thinking, and resilience among early-career professionals.
Drawing from my own experiences as a conservator and educator at the University of Delaware, I have observed that many students struggle with the concept of "it depends"—the idea that conservation solutions are rarely definitive and often require careful consideration of context, materials, and ethical implications. This session will feature a collaborative dialogue between myself, current undergraduate and graduate students, recent graduates, and board members from the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN). Together, we will share insights and strategies for embracing uncertainty as a valuable aspect of the conservation process and provide reassurance that this feeling is universal, sharing helpful coping mechanisms.
The session will begin with brief presentations from me, students, and recent graduates on their personal experiences with uncertainty in their academic and early professional journeys. These presentations will highlight the challenges they faced and the strategies they developed to navigate the lack of clear answers in conservation practice. Following these presentations, we will break into smaller discussion groups, ideally with a mix of conservators in different career stages, each facilitated by a panelist, to delve deeper into specific topics such as decision-making in treatment proposals, the role of collaboration in managing uncertainty, and the ways in which educators can support students in developing confidence amidst ambiguity.
The goal of this session is to create an open and supportive environment where participants can exchange ideas, share personal experiences, and develop a toolkit for navigating the uncertainties inherent in art conservation. By the end of the session, participants will have gained new perspectives on how to approach uncertainty not as a hindrance but as an opportunity for growth and innovation.
This collaborative session aims to provide a platform for emerging conservation professionals to connect, learn from one another, and build a community that embraces the complexities of our field. In doing so, we hope to inspire a shift in how uncertainty is perceived—transforming it from a source of anxiety into a catalyst for creativity and professional development.
