{"687672":{"#nid":"687672","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech-Europe Leads Effort to Revolutionize Artifact Preservation ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn the basement of the Louvre, scientists at the Center for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (C2RMF) work at the frontier of cultural heritage preservation. Their challenge is to find non-invasive ways to probe ancient and precious artifacts to understand their structural integrity and optimal restoration paths. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough cultural heritage scientists already use an array of advanced scientific techniques, the data from these methods cannot yet be fully integrated to provide a comprehensive, multidimensional view of each artifact. Without a holistic view of structural integrity and design, decision-making about conservation remains complex and risk-laden. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis challenge is one that Alexandre Locquet, Georgia Tech-Europe professor and research scientist at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Georgia Tech-Europe Professor David S. Citrin will address in an upcoming Marie Sk\u0142odowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks research grant project, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/unveil-dn.eu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUNVEIL\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (Unified Nondestructive Evaluation of Historical Artifacts), as part of the IRL 2958 Georgia Tech-CNRS, a joint research partnership between Georgia Tech and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, where Locquet and Citrin lead the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/irl2958.georgiatech-europe.eu\/terahertznde-nonlineardynamicsgroup\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETerahertz NDE and nonlinear dynamics group\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs coordinator of UNVEIL, Locquet will head a consortium of 21 European organizations, whose diverse areas of expertise will combine to advance nondestructive evaluation methods for cultural heritage preservation. With a budget of 3.7 million euros, the project brings together partners such as the C2RMF, with its advanced techniques in cultural heritage science, and the IRL 2958 Georgia Tech-CNRS. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUNVEIL\u0027s goal is not only to integrate data across multiple techniques to understand cultural artifacts, but also to introduce advanced, engineering-grade methods (e.g., terahertz imaging, ultrasound, and infrared thermography) into cultural heritage science. This dual approach will provide new insights to guide conservation and restoration work, from uncovering an artist\u0027s first sketches, hidden inscriptions, and signatures to detecting structural weaknesses invisible to the naked eye.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe UNVEIL project will combine data from these non-invasive methods to create a 3D augmented-reality digital twin that shows an artifact\u0027s structural integrity and layers, revealing hidden elements, such as inscriptions and underdrawings. Collaborations with European museums and heritage institutions will bring these advances to the public, offering interactive 3D exhibits that allow visitors to explore artifacts beyond their visible surfaces.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELocquet\u2019s research focuses on terahertz (THz) imaging and spectroscopy for nondestructive evaluation. THz imaging has already demonstrated unique scientific advancements in examining cultural heritage objects, such as deciphering illegible inscriptions on an 18th-century funerary cross, reconstructing the stratigraphy of ancient paper stacks, and revealing hidden signatures and underdrawings beneath layers of paint. These results demonstrate the potential of THz imaging to uncover details inaccessible by other means. As coordinator of UNVEIL, Locquet\u0027s role extends well beyond research. He will guide the consortium as a whole and ensure the integration of all techniques into a unified approach for cultural heritage diagnostics and restoration.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe UNVEIL project will begin in March. Locquet and his team are currently seeking doctoral students in physics and electrical and computer engineering to join the multidisciplinary research team. Interested students are encouraged to send their CV and a letter of interest to \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:alocquet@georgiatech-metz.fr\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Ealocquet@georgiatech-metz.fr\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/unveil-dn.eu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Elearn more about UNVEIL\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech-Europe, in collaboration with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and a consortium of 21 European organizations, is leading the UNVEIL project to advance the preservation of cultural artifacts.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech-Europe, in collaboration with the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and a consortium of 21 European organizations, is leading the UNVEIL project to advance the preservation of cultural artifacts."}],"uid":"36779","created_gmt":"2026-01-26 17:03:40","changed_gmt":"2026-02-04 19:32:26","author":"tcran3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-01-26T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2026-01-26T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679147":{"id":"679147","type":"image","title":"Research partnership between Georgia Tech and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, where Locquet and Citrin lead the Terahertz NDE and nonlinear dynamics group.","body":"\u003Cp\u003EResearch partnership between Georgia Tech and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, where Locquet and Citrin lead the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/irl2958.georgiatech-europe.eu\/terahertznde-nonlineardynamicsgroup\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETerahertz NDE and nonlinear dynamics group\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1770042831","gmt_created":"2026-02-02 14:33:51","changed":"1770042831","gmt_changed":"2026-02-02 14:33:51","alt":"Research partnership between Georgia Tech and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, where Locquet and Citrin lead the Terahertz NDE and nonlinear dynamics group.","file":{"fid":"263270","name":"locquet-research.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/locquet-research.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/02\/02\/locquet-research.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":3777174,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/02\/02\/locquet-research.jpg?itok=ID5k9MLm"}}},"media_ids":["679147"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/europe.gatech.edu\/en","title":"Georgia Tech-Europe"}],"groups":[{"id":"54809","name":"Georgia Tech-Europe (GTE)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"191566","name":"Georgia Tech-Europe"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:trdsc@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ETina Rousselot de Saint Ceran\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech-Europe\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}