VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGB #1110/01 1161237
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261237Z APR 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2843

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001110 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO OES/STC EILEEN KANG AND ECA RICK RUTH, JOHN RUSSELL 
AND AMY GANSEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL SENV TSPL TBIO AMGT EAGR ENRG ECON
APER, IZ 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY SCIENCE FELLOWS PROGRAM 2009 (IRAQ) 
 
Ref:  State 010843 
 
¶1. (U) The Embassy Science Fellows Program offers an important 
opportunity to bring US government experts to Iraq, where they would 
be assigned to teach one- to three-month courses in the area of 
their expertise within the field of cultural heritage at the newly 
established National Training Institute for the Preservation of 
Iraqi Cultural Heritage in Erbil, (Kurdistan) Iraq. 
 
¶2. (U) In accordance with the Strategic Framework Agreement the 
overarching goal of the Institute is to enhance the capabilities of 
the Iraq State Board of Antiquities and Heritage (SBAH) as a 
national heritage organization and to develop sustainable 
professional partnerships between the SBAH and the collaborating 
international organizations.  Established with grant funding from US 
Embassy Baghdad, the Institute is presently operated under the 
professional guidance of the Walters Art Museum, the Winterthur 
Museum, the University of Delaware Art Conservation Department, the 
US National Park Service, and SBAH.  By the end of the two-year 
grant period, in January 2011, the Institute will be maintained and 
operated fully by SBAH. 
 
¶3. (U) Post seeks one or more scientific experts in the fields of 
museum development, conservation, and/or archaeology to serve as 
visiting faculty in Erbil for periods of one to three months each. 
The dates are flexible and will be determined in accordance with the 
academic schedule of the Institute.  Successful candidates must have 
professional museum and/or teaching experience.  In addition, 
familiarity with Middle Eastern culture and Arabic or Kurdish 
language skills are a plus.  A security clearance is not required. 
If a fellow stays 59 days or longer, a medical clearance will be 
necessary. 
 
¶4. (U) The specific project would entail teaching professional 
development classes of 6 to 20 adult students on leave from their 
positions within the SBAH.  Classes will be taught in English with 
translation provided as needed.  Fully equipped modern laboratories 
and classrooms will be available for use.  Students and faculty will 
have access to computers, high-speed internet, and professional 
software during and outside of class time. 
 
¶5. (U) Museum development, collection conservation, and archaeology 
are the three general types of courses that would benefit the 
Institute. Museum development courses might specifically address 
object documentation and electronic cataloguing; proper display and 
storage of museum collections; and emergency recovery and risk 
management. Collection conservation courses could address preventive 
care, stabilization, and treatment techniques for museum objects; 
the philosophy and ethics of conservation and preservation; and 
relevant science and analytical methods.  Archaeology courses could 
address archaeological methods and theory, survey techniques, ground 
and remote sensing, and site protection and stabilization.  Fellows 
may teach general courses or focus on an area of their specific 
expertise, such as museum storage systems, the conservation of metal 
objects, or archaeological survey. 
 
¶6. (U) Fellows from any agency are welcome, although the Smithsonian 
Institution would offer expertise that most closely matches the 
needs of the National Training Institute for the Preservation of 
Iraqi Cultural Heritage.  In particular, the following Smithsonian 
experts might be considered: Harriet Beaubien, Museum Conservation 
Institute (archaeological conservation); Chris Cole, National Air 
and Space Museum (conservation science); Jenifer Bosworth, Freer 
Qand Space Museum (conservation science); Jenifer Bosworth, Freer 
Gallery of Art (object conservation); Greta Hansen, National Museum 
of Natural History (collections management and object conservation); 
Carol Grissom, Museum Conservation Institute (object conservation 
and mounts); Paul Jett, Freer Gallery of Art (object conservation, 
especially metals); Ellen Salzman Chase, Freer Gallery of Art 
(object conservation, especially ceramics); Marian Kaminitz, NMAI 
(ethnographic object conservation); Emily Kaplan, NMAI 
(archaeological materials); Susan Heald, NMAI (textile 
conservation). 
 
¶7. (U) The Embassy Science Fellow will be provided office space in 
the Public Affairs Section of the Embassy. In country travel will be 
through normal embassy operations, currently helicopter and ground 
movements. While in Baghdad housing will be a shared two-bedroom 
apartment.  While in Erbil, housing will be a room in a shared 
house.  Visitors must adhere to all established security guidelines 
while in country. 
 
¶8. (U) The Regional Security Office at Embassy Baghdad concurs with 
this request, as long as RSO resources are available and the 
security environment permits the particular activity. The Embassy 
Science Fellow will not/not work with classified material or in a 
classified environment so no security clearance is necessary. 
 
¶9.  (U) Diane Siebrandt, Cultural Heritage Liaison Officer;  Email: 
siebrandtdc@state.gov. Phone contact 1-240-553-0581 Ext: 2588 or 
(964) 770 443 0936 or (964) 790 132 0209. 
 
HILL