Special Session 10

SPECIAL SESSION #10

Giuseppe Paladini

Department of Physics and Astronomy "Ettore Majorana" (DFA), University of Catania

• giuseppe.paladini@dfa.unict.it

Francesco Caridi

Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences (MIFT), University of Messina

• fcaridi@unime.it

The session aims at illustrating the techniques used to study the artifacts of cultural significance, highlighting the methodologies to be applied to adequately characterize them from the physical-chemical point of view, to study new strategies and materials for their restoration and conservation, to support their critical interpretation investigating the artifact-environment interaction. Moreover, the assessment of the radiological risk for the population due to the natural radioactivity content of building materials largely employed for the construction of historical monuments of interest in the field of cultural heritage is also a key topic of the session. At the same time, this session is also aimed at promoting and stimulating discussions among scientists of different expertises, involved in Cultural Heritage studies, such as biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, architets, art historians and conservation scientists.

In-depth interdisciplinary studies exploring diagnostic methods, alteration and/or deterioration phenomena, prevention and conservation treatments are encouraged, in order to offer invaluable information to archaeology, art history and conservation and to support usability and preservation of Cultural Heritage.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Monitoring and characterization of deterioration features of Cultural Heritage;
• New methods and instruments for the characterization of natural and artificial materials, diagnosis and conservation treatments;
• Forthcoming developments in conservation and restoration knowledge: nano-, bio- and physical technologies;
• Assessment of efficiency, compatibility, reversibility of new conservation treatments and methods;
• Radiological risk assessment due to the natural radioactivity content of building materials largely employed in the field of cultural heritage;
• New tools and methods for assessing damage of cultural heritage.

Giuseppe Paladini is a Researcher of Applied Physics (to Cultural Heritage, Environment, Biology and Medicine) at the Department of Physics and Astronomy "Ettore Majorana" of the University of Catania, in the context of the “SiciliAn MicronanOTecH Research And Innovation CEnter – SAMOTHRACE” innovation Ecosystem, funded by the European Union in the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Graduated in Physics cum laude in 2016 at the University of Messina, PhD in Physics in 2019, National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in 2023.

He is co-author of 46 publications on ISI rated journals and 29 invited talks/communications at National and International Conferences and Events, in the field of Physics Applied to Cultural and Environmental Heritage. Citations: 233, H-index: 10 (Scopus database).

His research interests include but are not limited to: a) application of neutron and light spectroscopic techniques at nano-, micro- and macro-scale; b) characterization of environmental matrices in terms of specific activity of natural and anthropogenic radionuclides; c) dynamical and structural properties of supramolecular systems for environmental and pharmaceutical applications.

Francesco Caridi is a Researcher of Applied Physics (to Cultural Heritage, Environment, Biology and Medicine) at the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Physical and Earth Sciences of the University of Messina. Graduated in Physics cum laude in 2003 at the University of Messina, PhD in Physics in 2007, National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor in 2022.

He is co-author of 139 publications on ISI rated journals and more than 100 invited talks/communications at National and International Conferences and Events, in the field of Physics Applied to Cultural and Environmental Heritage. Citations: 1315, H-index: 25 (Scopus database).

His research interests include but are not limited to: a) application of invasive and non-invasive micro- and spectroscopic techniques for the analysis of materials largely employed in the field of Cultural Heritage, as well as their degradation forms; b) characterization of materials of particular historical-artistic interest in terms of natural radioactivity content, in order to assess the radiological risk for humans; c) systematic implementation of operative strategies aimed at the evaluation of the radon exhalation rate in building materials.