Giovanna Alessandrini

Degree in Chemistry from the University to the University of Bologna (110 /110 ) ; thesis ” Discontinuity in the process of iodine adsorption on organic solvents of aluminum oxides variously active”: supervisor Prof. G. Venturello , assistant supervisor Prof. A.M. Ghè.

From 1960 to 1970 – Head of the Section of Physical Chemistry of the Central Laboratory for Research, Chatillon s.p.a. – Artificial and Synthetic Textiles Fibres, Vercelli, dealing with the development of new techniques of optical microscopy and difractometric ones to be used in the research on natural and synthetic textile fibers – Internships at the soc. Enghelard and Siemens respectively in Zurich (Switzerland) and Kalsrhue (Germany).

1971 – Winner of the competition organized by the National Research Council and assigned to the Centre ” Gino Bozza ” for “the study of deterioration’s causes and methods of conservation of works of art ” created in 1971 in agreement with Politecnico of Milan and headquartered at the Institute of Technical Physics.

From March 1989 to May 2002 she was appointed Director of the above-mentioned Center.

From June 2002 she has worked as a freelance activity as a scientific consultant for the conservation of Cultural Heritage.

Since 1971 her scientific activity as Scientific Director for diagnostics has covered different topics all converging in the field of conservation of cultural heritage : physico-chemical characterization and diagnostics of the degradation of natural and artificial stone materials (stone, mortar, stucco , crockery, etc.) and metals ; characterization and evaluation of polymer products’ effectiveness for the consolidation and protection of stone materials , products’ influence on the peculiar characteristics of the substrate , evaluation of efficacy and harmfulness of cleaning systems for stone materials , characterization of paint layers ( wall paintings on canvas, panel , etc. ), identification of the products applied in previous conservation interventions and the role of conservation , characterization of metallic materials and their construction techniques, causes and extent of degradation, research on previous interventions, search for suitable products for restoration; characterization of films with calcium oxalate on natural and artificial stone and metals , their role in conservation.

The research contents have always been artifacts of great historical – artistic, architectural , archaeological interest existing on the national territory and otherwise . As an example, it must remembered the Cathedral, the Cà Granda ( ancient Ospedale Maggiore , now location of the University, the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie , the Arch of Peace , the Certosa of Garegnano , the church of S . Cristoforo sul Naviglio , the Giureconsulti Palace , the Basilica of St. Ambrose / S.Satiro , the columns and the Basilica of San Lorenzo , the Bramante’s Cascina Pozzobonelli, the Portinari chapel in the Basilica of St. Eustorgius , the Scala theater , the Fatebenefratelli Hospital in Milan, Castle of Vigevano , the Sacred Mountains of Ossuccio (Como ) , the Chartreuse , and the Basilica of San Michele in Pavia , the Colleoni Chapel , the Lazaretto , the excavation of the Palace Podestà , the fountain of St. Augustine in Bergamo, Palazzo Farnese in Piacenza , the church of Santa Maria dei Miracoli , the House of the Archpriest , the Fountain of Pallata , Monte Vecchio di Pietà in Brescia , the archaeological park of Luni in Lunigiana , the cathedral of Cagliari, the Stupinigi building, the walls of Gela, the Nicolacci Palace , the Cathedral of Noto , the archaeological excavations of S. Minoia Eraclea in Sicily, the Senatorial Palace on the Capitol Hill in Rome , the Gates of the Baptistery in Florence , the collection Acerbi of Egyptian bronzes (now in the Museum of Tea Palace in Mantua ) , the necropolis of Colle del Forno in Lazium, the Cathedral of St. Vigil, ” Castelletto of Bishops ,” the church of S. Apollinare in Trent , or the ConCathedral Church of St. Andrew in Mantova, the Palladian Basilica in Vicenza , Ca ‘ Vendramin in Venice , Arena in Verona, the collegiate church of Castiglione Olona (Varese) , the ‘ Oratory of S. Andrea in Lentate sul Seveso (Milan) , the Castle of Vische (Turin) , the megalithic Temples of Malta, the worship places in Yerevan,Armenia .

She assumed various positions over the years :

(1997/2000) President of “The National Cultural Heritage Institute ” established by the National Research Council , ( 1997-2002 ), Promoter , Head of the research project “Code of diagnostic procedure for the detection and characterization of Cultural Heritage persistent on a medieval Tuscan path: the ” Francigena road system ” (theme 1 ) , inserted in the P.N.R PARNASO Ministry of University and Scientific Research , ( 1980) Promoter, with other colleagues , of the Commission NorMaL (Statement of Stone Materials ) established by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and the CNR with the purpose of a ” standardization of study methods for the characterization of stone materials and for the control of conservative treatment of the artifacts of historic and artistic interest “; (1994-1997) general Coordinator and coordinator of the work of groups M Normal ( Malte ) , NorMaL C ( Chemical Methodologies ) . From 1997 to 2011, after the NorMaL Commission was inserted within UNI ( Italian National Unification ), she coordinated the work of the newly formed Commission UNI CULTURAL HERITAGE as President; Elected member of the “Technical-Scientific Committee with the task of preventive counseling and assistance to Superintendence in the field of conservation interventions on the stone materials ” (Ministry of Cultural Heritage , Ministerial Decree of 24 August 1981) ; ( 1987-2003) invited Speaker , General Report, Member of the Scientific Councils of national and international conferences ; ( 1987-1990 ) Co-chairman of the EUROCARE project ” Chemical and physical decay of the stone – subarea 2 ; ( 1989-1993 ) Italy Regional Editor for the journal Art and Archaeological Technical Abstracts ( AATA ), (1989/1993 ) Promoter and Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the First and Second International Congress “The oxalate films : origin and meaning in the conservation of works of art” Milan ; (since 1989 ) Member of Fellow ( FIIC ) of the International Institute for Historic and Artistic Works of London; (1990) Scientific Director , as delegated by the Politecnico of Milan , of the mission carried out in Armenia coordinated by the Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) for the planning of restoration projects on the worship buildings in Yerevan; ( (1991) Special Guest at ‘ International Congress of Architecture “Memories and Project” organized by European Architecture Students Assembly (EASA) , Erice (Trapani ; (1992 ) Scientific responsible on behalf of the CNR and Politecnico, of the mission conducted in Turkey in order to verify the feasibility of a scientific laboratory for the diagnosis stone materials offered to the Turkish Government by the Italian one; ( 1992) scientific Coordinator of the Operative Unit ” Innovative products for the protection and consolidation of stone surfaces : a study of the system behavior stone material – product in function of the characteristics of the lithotype and environmental parameters ” PROJECT AIMED ” Cultural Heritage ” – CNR subproject 2 theme 2.4 ; (1997-2000) Promoter , Director and scientific Coordinator of the project” the historical center of Ortigia – Knowledge for conservation , ” with the agreement of the CITY OF SYRACUSE (Department of Ortigia) – CNR- INCVBC , ( 1998-2001 ), Promoter , Director and scientific Coordinator of the Project. ” The historic center of Palermo – Knowledge for maintenance agreement TOWN OF PALERMO (Historical Central office) – CNR- INCVBC ; (since 1999) Scientific Director of the Research Project ” SURVEY 2000 Jubilee Project , concerning the external and internal fronts and the “Castelletto dei Principi”; (2002-2003 ) , Bishop’s Curia , ( 2002-2003 ) Member of the Commission established by the Municipality of Milan ( Urban Décor Division ) for the project choices related to the restoration of the De Chirico “mysterious Baths ” at the Triennale of Milan , Scientific Director of the diagnostic project (2003) Member of the working Group in support of the Program Agreement for the implementation of the recovery and value of Villa Reale in Monza , Lombardy Region , (2008-2014) Scientific Director of the restoration of the interior wall paintings, ConCathedral of St. Andrew in Mantua appointed by the Episcopal Curia of Mantua.

– Author of more than 200 memoirs published in national and international journals specialized in the field of conservation of cultural heritage . These memories concern diagnostic problems and conservation work on artifacts of great historical , artistic and architectural , archaeological and art-historical value as well as the results of basic research .

– Referee of national and international journals .

Since the foundation , she has been a member of the Scientific Board of the journal ARKOS – Science and restoration, ed. ITINERA

Since 2010 she has been a member of the Scientific Board of the official journal of the Institute for the History of Lombard Art ( ISAL )

Thanks to her recognized expertise in the topic , she has been frequently invited as reviewer of popular texts and / or scientific ones related to Cultural Heritage.

In 1988 she received an award from the Scientific Committee of the ” VIe Congres International sur l’alteration et la conservation de la pierre ” , Torun 12 to 14 September 1988 with the words “Le Comitè International Permanent pour l’Organisation des Congres a le plaisir de vous offrir cette medaille en temoignage de reconnaissance pour les travaux que vous avez realisè dans le domaine de la protection des materiaux des monuments historiques”.

In April 2011, the UNI assigned her the award Scolari 11 “in reward of the efforts made in the activity of legislation for Cultural Heritage ”

For the experience gained in the field , since 1981 she has played an intensive teaching or conferences presence especially at Italian universities. In particular, from academic year 1999/1991 to 2004/2009 she has been holder of the course of Chemistry and Technology of restoration and preservation of materials at the Politecnico of Milan , School of Architecture, , from 1989/1990 to 2010/2011 Teacher of the course Chemistry and Technology of restoration and preservation of materials ” at the School of Specialization in Restoration of Monuments , Politecnico of Milan ; from 2008 to the present teacher at the School of Specialization on Architectural Heritage and the Landscape of the same topic; in 1989 professor at the 1st Course ” Weathering and air pollution” organized by the Community of Mediterranean Universities , Milan, teaching the conservation of stone surfaces and the impact to the environment; lecturer in 1990 for the Advanced Course in Conservation and building maintenance / Investigations for the diagnosis and intervention methods , organized by the Polytechnic , Faculty of Architecture , Professor of Legislation for tests on stone materials and materials used in the consolidation and protection; 2001-2007 , Training Course ” Diagnostic techniques in the conservation of cultural heritage : the conservation of natural and artificial stone surfaces” , organized by the Dept. of Chemistry of the Politecnico of Milan , teacher of Microscopic Techniques; diagnostics : special cases; the Legislation for diagnostics , from 1996 to 2004 Adjunct Professor at the University Institute of Architecture in Venice ( IUAV) , Bachelor in History and Preservation, teacher of Degradation and diagnostic of materials , Preservation of materials in historical buildings ; Similar teaching subjects at the universities of Padua , Lecce , Bologna, Urbino , Palermo, Central Institute of Restoration .

She has undertaken a strong educational activity also at local authorities ( municipalities, provinces , departments , museums, schools, etc. ) , professional associations and national professional associations ( ANIASPER ) , training and updating centers ( ENAIP ) , ecclesiastical authorities .

She goes on with her scientific work as a freelancer , carrying out research and studies started in former times both planning new projects and going on with her educational activities