Rochester Institute of Technology

The Rochester Institute of Technology will conduct research on the relationship between room-level relative humidity, object-level water activity, and the associated risk of fungal germination on paper and parchment.  Biodeterioration of organic collections is common and widespread; however, an in-depth understanding of the conditions that favor fungal growth are limited, despite the increasing importance and need due to climate change. This project will collaborate with university and museum partners to undertake laboratory analysis and simulated experiments, and to apply novel instrumental and field analysis. The results of this research will inform the management of objects with collection environments, by balancing the preservation of organic objects with environmental sustainability in the face of collection emergencies.