Visit Us Events & Programs Exhibitions Podcasts Blog Museum Store Support ASM
About ASM Collections Research Preservation Education Library Cultural Resource Services

Who's Who in Preservation at ASM

Nancy Odegaard
Teresa Moreno
Gina Watkinson
Dave Smith

Werner Zimmt
Marilen Pool
Meghan McFarlane
Esther Echenique

Top

NANCY ODEGAARD is the Conservator and Head of the Preservation Division for Arizona State Museum. She is also a Professor in the Department of Anthropology. Nancy manages and supervises staff and programs in the conservation lab, advises on museum environmental issues, and seeks to promote the preservation of collections through improved exhibition and storage conditions.

Nancy holds a Ph.D. in Applied Science through the Conservation and Cultural Heritage Science Studies Department of the University of Canberra, Australia. She earned her M.A. in Museum Studies/Anthropology at the George Washington University with a Certificate in Ethnographic and Archaeological Conservation from the Smithsonian Institution. Nancy specializes in the conservation of archaeological and ethnographic objects including the examination, analysis, and study of materials and pre-industrial technologies used to fabricate artifacts.

Top

TERESA MORENO is the Associate Conservator for Arizona State Museum and is also a University of Arizona faculty member. Teresa holds an M.A. in Conservation of Historic and Archaeological Objects from the University of Durham in England.

Prior to her training in conservation, she earned an M.A. in Classical Archaeology and a B.A. in Anthropology and Classical Archaeology, both from the University of Arizona. She specializes in the conservation of archaeological and ethnographic objects and has experience working with a wide range of materials. Her research interests range from the Prehistoric Archaeology of the southwestern United States to Greek, Roman, and Etruscan Art and Archaeology.

Top

GINA WATKINSON is the Administrative Assistant and Conservation Assistant for the Preservation Division. She has a B.A. in Anthropology/Religious Studies from Stony Brook University and a B.A. in Art Conservation from the University of Delaware. Gina works to coordinate lab activities, volunteers and purchasing for the Preservation Division.  She uses her conservation background to assist in projects as necessary.  Recent work includes a project using the lab’s handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to collect compositional data on silver jewelry.  Gina is planning to attend a graduate program in Conservation or Collections Management.

Top

DAVE SMITH is an Adjunct Conservator within the Preservation Division and serves as Adjunct Faculty in the University of Arizona Chemistry Department. He is an Analytical Chemist with 30 years of experience who has developed an interest in applying analytical chemistry to the conservation of cultural objects. His current areas of research involve the evaluation of cultural objects for pesticide residues and the occurrence of heavy metal toxins in southwestern pigments.

Top

WERNER ZIMMT is a Museum Fellow who has been working with the Preservation Division since his retirement as a research chemist for E. I. Du Pont de Nemours, Inc. in 1985. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Chicago and a M.Sc. in archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania. Werner’s many interests include preservation technology and adobe stabilization. His current research at the Museum involves collaboration with the departments of Agricultural Biosystems Engineering and Chemical and Environmental Engineering assessing the presence of pesticides and testing methods for their removal.

Top

MARILEN POOL is an Objects Conservator specializing in ethnographic and archaeological artifacts.  She is currently working on the Pottery Project and has worked previously in the Preservation Division of the Arizona State Museum on numerous projects. She completed conservation internships at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, BC and the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center in Austin, TX. She has a diploma in Art Conservation Techniques from Sir Sandford Fleming College in Ontario, Canada, a Certificate of Archaeology and Ethnography Collections Care from the National Parks Service and a Masters Degree in Museum Studies from Oregon State University. Before entering the profession of Art Conservation, Marilen worked as a museum Curator and Director.

Top

MEGHAN McFARLANE is a Visiting Student Scholar and Graduate Intern in the ASM Conservation Lab and a Third-Year Graduate Fellow at the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation.  Meghan documents, studies, and performs conservation treatments on a variety of objects at ASM, including Southwestern archaeological ceramics and Hopi Kachina dolls.  Meghan will earn her M.S. in Art Conservation from the University of Delaware in August 2009.  She holds a B.A. in biology from Pomona College.  As part of her training in art conservation, Meghan has had the opportunity to work at The Field Museum, The Freer and Sackler Galleries, and The Australian Museum.  Meghan specializes in the treatment and analysis of ethnographic and archaeological objects.

Top

ESTER ECHENIQUE is a Visiting Scholar in the Conservation lab.  She is a graduate of the School of Art at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in Santiago where she also earned an Advanced Certificate from the program Studies for the conservation of National Artistic Heritage.   She is working wide range of archaeological ceramics and ethnographic painted objects in the ASM collections. Esther has previously worked on painted surfaces including easel paintings, wall murals, and petroglyphs in various locations including Cuzco, Peru.