Instructors & Staff
Konstantinos Choulis - Academic Director of SGB&P
Konstantinos Choulis studied painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts ((1977-1982) and then, with a scholarship from the State Scholarship Foundation, paper conservation and book restoration at the Istituto Centrale per la patologia del libro in Rome.
From 1983 to 1985 he attended the postgraduate course in Greek Palaeography at the Scuola di Paleografia, Diplomatica e Archivistica of the Vatican and the International Course on the Restoration of Library Materials, organized by UNESCO in Venice.
In 1990 he completed his Ph.D. thesis at the University of London, School of Advance Study, Binding and Conservation of the Greek Manuscripts of the Fondo Antico in the Vatican Library (15th - 20th Centuries).
He worked with the Vatican Apostolic Library as Head of the Conservation Laboratory to initiate and complete preventive and conservation programs in the manuscript and printed collections (2000 - 2004).
Since 1995 he has been a member of the teaching staff of the Department of Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art of the University of West Attica - Greece. He has participated in European projects as a researcher and he collaborated for the conservation of works of art on paper with the National Gallery of Greece, the Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens, in the projects for the digitization of the manuscripts of the library of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai and of the Benaki Museum in Athens.
Since 2010 he has taught book and paper conservation at the summer school of the International Institute of Restoration and Preservation Studies at San Gemini – Italy.
From 2011 to 2013 he was president of the Hellenic Branch of the International Institute of Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC - International Institute of Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works - Hellenic Branch).
He is the author of many articles and monographs on the history and the structure of Byzantine bookbindings. He has participated as a speaker in many international and national conferences.
Melania Zanetti
Melania Zanetti graduated in Cultural Heritage Preservation at the University of Udine and studied conservation at the European School for conservation of library and archival materials in Spoleto (Italy). She obtained her Ph.D. in Science des matériaux and in Science and Engineering of Materials and Nanostructures at the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris (Centre de Recherche sur la Conservation des Collections) in cotutel with the University of Padua, Italy. Her Ph.D. thesis focused on the development of new materials and technologies for the conservation of fire-damaged paper heritage.
Since 1999 she has developed her professional experience working as freelance conservator of documents, manuscripts, printed books, and graphic artwork. Since 2000 she has been teaching Theory and History of Conservation at the Catholic University in Milan (Faculty of Humanities, Bachelor of Science in Cultural Heritage). Since 2012 she has been teaching Book and Document Preservation and Conservation at the Ca’ Foscari University in Venice (Department of Humanities. Master's degree in History and Management of the Archival and Bibliographic Heritage).
In 2006 and 2007, she was commissioned by the Italo-Latin American Institute (IILA) within the Nicolás Yapuguay project as the person in charge of setting up the laboratory at the Colegio del Salvador and coordinating training for conservation activities and conservation treatments of the heritage of the Jesuit Collection Library in Buenos Aires (Argentina).
In 2019 she was responsible for organizing and coordinating the teaching and laboratory program of the Summer School of Advanced Training in Library and Archival Heritage Conservation at Ca’ Foscari.
Author of more than 30 articles on the conservation and restoration of archival and book heritage, Melania Zanetti is president of the Italian association of curators (Archivists and Librarians) and conservators of archives and libraries (AICRAB, www. aicrab.org), which she helped found in 2013.
Francesco Maria Rizzo
Francesco Maria Rizzo was born in Erice in 1973. He graduated in Law at University Carlo Bo of Urbino, but immediately changed the subject of his studies to follow his passion: book conservation. He graduated again in conservation of books and documents at the European Course for Conservators-Restorers of Book Materials in Spoleto, in 2005. He is a Restorer of Books and Documents, pursuant to art. 182 of Legislative Decree 22 January 2004, no. 42 and subsequent amendments, accredited by the MiBACT (Ministero dei Beni e Attivitá Culturali Italiano).
Since 2005, Francesco has worked in many private conservation studios in Italy and Spain, and in important European institutions, including the Vatican Library and the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Since 2020, Francesco has run his own conservation studio, Ex Libris, in Trapani, Italy.
Since September 2021 he has been teaching as Adjunct Professor at the University of Rome, Tor Vergata, where he runs two courses: Archival Materials and Flat Items.
Gloria Conti
Gloria Conti worked internationally as a Conservator for over 18 years, both in the public and the private sector.
Introduced to book conservation during a degree course in Library and Archive studies at the University of Urbino, in 2005 she graduated from the European School for Conservator-Restorers in Spoleto, Italy, and started her career in Italy until she moved to the UK two years later.
She has a degree in History and Preservation of Cultural Heritage from the University of Florence and has worked at the National Records of Scotland since 2008 caring for the Scottish national archive collection.
In 2021 she set up her own studio, Charta Conservation, to provide conservation services to libraries, archives, museums, cultural institutions and private owners. As a business owner and freelancer, she works with prominent institutional and private clients nationally and internationally.
She is an Accredited Conservator-Restorer (ACR) with Icon – The Institute of Conservation, and with the Ministry of Culture in Italy (Restauratrice di Beni Culturali).
Gloria is a member of IADA (International Association of Book & Paper Conservators), of Aicrab (Italian Association of Library and Archive Conservators and Curators) and has been a Committee member of the Icon Book & Paper Group.
Giuliano Camilleri
Giuliano Camilleri was born in Catania in 1979 and is the fourth generation of Camilleri dedicated to graphic arts and bookbinding. In 2005 he graduated in conservation of books and documents at the School of Conservation of the Foundation for the Conservation and Restoration of Books and Documents of Spoleto. In 2005 he obtained an advanced internship in conservation and restoration of rare books at the Library of Congress, Washington DC. He is a restorer of books and documents, pursuant to art. 182 of Legislative Decree 22 January 2004, no. 42 and subsequent amendments, accredited by the MiBACT (Ministero dei Beni e Attivitá Culturali Italiano).
Since 2007 Giuliano has been working in his own restoration workshop in Santander, Spain, working with the most important Spanish institutions in the conservation of books, documents, and works of art on paper. Since 2018 he has been a professor of bookbinding and packaging at the university design school of CESINE in Santander.
Since 2008, Giuliano has organized different courses on conservation and restoration of books and documents in collaboration with the Santillana del Mar Library, the Central Library of Cantabria, the Santander Museum of Fine Arts, the Cantabrian Government Heritage Department. He has curated more than a dozen exhibitions on the history of binding and books. He is the author of different studies on the history of ancient and modern bookbinding techniques.
Mito Matsumaru
Mito Matsumaru started her education in Japan at the Tokyo University of the Arts were she received a BA in Art History and Aesthetics in 2012 and an MA in Conservation Science in 2015.
She has been studying and working in the UK for the last 10 years. She received an MA in Conservation of Books & Library Materials (Distinction) from the University of Sussex, UK / West Dean College 2017.
She presently is working at The Royal Collection Trust (Windsor, UK) as a Senior Conservator of Archives Manuscripts and Books.
During the last few years she has held positions at the following institutions:
The Cambridge Colleges' Conservation Consortium (Cambridge, UK), 2017 - 2023, as a Book and Manuscript Conservator.
The Welcome Trust (London, UK), as Book Conservator, with responsibility for early printed books collection rehousing, assessments, and repairs.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK (London, UK), as Book Conservator, working on a wide range of books including a miniature parchment Koran, an Indian miniature album, and modern Picasso pamphlets. IPM and preventive conservation training.
Flavio Marzo
Recent Professional activities:
Head of Conservation at the Cambridge Colleges' Conservation Consortium, Corpus Christi College. Cabridge UK (2021-Present)
Technical Director of the Book restoration laboratory at Abbazia SS. Pietro ed Andrea, Novalesa, Torino
Conservation Studio Manager for the British Library/Qatar Foundation partnership, Digitisation Project. The British Library, Saint Pancras, Euston Road, London UK (2005-2009)
Education:
OCR Level 3 National Vocation Qualification in Learning and Development Oxford Cambridge and RSA OCR 1 Hills Road , Cambridge
Attended workshops in book conservation and preservation Istituto centrale per la Patologia del Libro, Roma, Italy , Fondazione Sette Soli, Spoleto, Italy
Specialisation in book preservation and conservation Fondazione per la Conservazione e il Restauro dei Beni Librari Spoleto (PG), Italy
Alfonso Zoleo
Dr. Alfonso Zoleo graduated in Chemistry in 1995 with 110/110, with a thesis on the electron paramagnetic resonance applied to anionic derivatives of fullerenes. From 1997 to 2000 he did his Ph.D. in Chemistry on the same subject. From 2000 to 2001 he was a member of the TMR project on photosynthesis at the Max Volmer Institut in Berlin, focusing on high-frequency ENDOR instrumentation, for the survey of the complex evolution of oxygen (OEC ). From 2001 to 2004 he received a scholarship and a research grant for the application of advanced EPR techniques (ESEEM, ENDOR) in the investigation of the catalytic sites in the enzyme ATPase. From 2005 to 2008 he won several grants for collaboration with INSTM EPR on the characterization of low-dimensional magnetic materials and molecules with open shells in confined systems. In 2008 he began working independently on his own line of research devoted to spectroscopy in cultural heritage, using spectroscopic techniques for ancient and modern paper material, glassy and ceramic materials, and establishing major collaborations with other departments of the university, as well as important international collaborations. He is assistant professor at the Department of Chemistry.
Maria Chiara Abate
Maria Chiara Abate was born in Cassino (Italy) in 1998 and she is an Italian Conservator.
She graduated with honours in Conservation and Restoration of Library and Archival Material, Paper Artifacts, Photographic, Cinematographic and Digital Material LMR/02 (qualifying single-cycle master's degree) at the University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' where she discussed her thesis Book conservation techniques between history and ethics: five case-studies from the Corsiniana Library'. Her research focused on the evolution of book conservation techniques and she performed conservation treatments on some books affected by damages created by old repairs. She applied the ethics of 'minimal intervention' and through historical and diagnostic analysis she dated all old repairs to a specific historical period.
Chiara has worked with individual conservation companies and public Institutions in several cities of Italy; she has also collaborated with important Conservation Institutions, including the Vatican Library.
She has previous experience as a teaching assistant: she tought lectures and workshops in the course "Historical bookbinding, structure and conservation of books" as part of the summer program of the International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies of Brooklyn.
Currently she works as Conservator and she is a Researcher in the "National Ph.D program in Cultural Heritage Science" at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Her Ph.D research is focused on medieval recycled fragments and the role of the conservator in their preservation.
Staff
Max Cardillo - Director of IIRPS
Max Cardillo teaches architectural design, historic preservation, and urban design. Mr. Cardillo is a practicing architect who has worked in Rome, New York, and Milwaukee. Since 1999, he has been Director of the San Gemini Preservation Studies Program and Project Architect for the Archaeological Excavation of the Public Baths at Carsulae. He is presently Director of the International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies.
M. Arch., Columbia University; B.A., University of Wisconsin;
Polly Withers
Polly Withers’ work began in film and music production in Europe and the US. In 2001, she settled in New York, and began consulting with foundations and non-profit organizations primarily supporting progressive social and environmental justice efforts. With Max Cardillo, she co-founded the International Institute of Restoration and Preservation Studies, an academic and cultural organization that promotes research and studies in historic preservation both in the US and abroad and, for the past 14 years, she has maintained student services and recruitment for IIRPS' study abroad programs. Max and Polly have a son, Zeno, and live in Brooklyn.
Alberto Gentilucci
Alberto Gentilucci was born in Terni, Italy in 1994. He graduated in Conservation and Management of Cultural Heritage and Activities at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice in 2018. He subsequently continued his studies for a Master's Degree in Theater, Cinema and Digital Arts at La Sapienza University of Rome.
Since 2019 he has actively collaborated with international foundations for the organization of cultural events, especially musical ones.
Since 2023 he has taken part in the SGPS programs staff.
Board of Advisors
Carlo Federici
Dr. Carlo Federici
Presently is teaching the course of Conservation and Restoration of Books at the Vatican School of Library Science that is connected to the Vatican Apostolic Library.
Has had a long distinguished career in the field of Book conservation. He started his profession in 1980 working at the Instituto della Patologia del Libro, Rome (the main research institution for the conservation of books and archival materials at the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage). He was director of the Technology Laboratory of that institution from 1983 to 1987 and became the head director of the institution from 1992 to 2002.
2003- 2005 He directed of the Libraries and information System of the of the Lombardi Region
He has taught at various universities among which the Cattolica University of Milan and Brescia, the University of Padua and the University Ca’ Foscari of Venice. He was the scientific coordinator of the five year course for restorers of library and archival materials for the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.
He was a was founder and directed of the Journal: QVINIO - International Journal on the History and Conservation of the Book. 1998- 2002.
Dr: Carlo Federici has published many articles and books: among which:
Federici, Carlo & Rossi, Libero 1983 Manuale di conservazione e restauro del libro (Handbook for Book Conservation) Roma : La Nuova Italia Scientifica. Was reprinted 11 times.
Federici, Carlo 2005 A,B e C: Dialogo sulla conservazione di carte vecchie e nuove (A, B & C : Conversations about old and new paper) Roma : Carocci ; Venezia : Regione del Veneto.