Debra Hess Norris Receives University Products Award for Distinguished Achievement

The University Products Award for Distinguished Achievement in conservation recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of a conservation professional that has advanced the field of conservation and furthered the cause of conservation through public outreach and advocacy. This year Debra Hess Norris, Henry Francis DuPont Professor of Art Conservation and Chair of the Department, received this prestigious honor. She received the award April 22, 2008 at the American Institute for Conservation’s 36th Annual Meeting held in Denver, CO.

Debbie has taught in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation for twenty-five years and served as the Program’s Director for ten years. In this capacity she has mentored and inspired over 200 conservators that have gone on to preserve cultural property around the world.

She is known internationally for her work in photograph conservation. She lectures and teaches topics of photograph conservation around the world and has published research and case studies throughout the conservation literature. Since 1999 she has overseen the development and implementation of 13 one-week workshops focused on topics of central importance in the field of photograph conservation funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In February 2007, Contemporary Photography: Digital Prints, held in New York City included an international list of speakers and participants with over 200 conservators and allied professionals in attendance to address the preservation needs of contemporary photographic materials.

As a member of the American Institute for Conservation Debbie has served as President (for two terms), Chairperson of the Ethics and Standards Committee, a member of the Internal Advisory Group, and Chair of the AIC Task Force on Emergency Mitigation and Response. She is currently Chairman of the Board at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts and an active member of the International Council of Museums-Committee on Conservation working group on Training in Conservation.