Andrea Fischer

Andrea Fischer is an Academic staff member and teacher in the Conservation and Restoration of Archaeological, Ethnological and Artistic Objects program within the Department of Art History and Restoration at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart since 1994. She earned her doctorate in 2016 with a dissertation on glass-induced metal corrosion under Prof. Gerhard Eggert, and her work bridges conservation science, materials degradation, and cultural heritage preservation.

Her educational background includes:

• 1990-1994: Diploma in Restoration/Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnological Objects at State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart (thesis: "Remains of organic materials on metal finds")
• 1987-1990: Preparatory internships at German Mining Museum, Zollern Institute, Lower Rhine Museum, and Westphalian Museum of Archaeology
• 1984-1987: Carpentry apprenticeship
• 2000: Study stay at Canadian Conservation Institute, Ottawa
• 1999/2000: Restoration work in Egypt (DAI Berlin excavations)

Dr. Fischer's research centers on glass-induced metal corrosion mechanisms in museum exhibits, where alkaline glass films degrade adjacent copper alloys, and the preservation/identification of organic materials on archaeological metal finds. She employs advanced techniques like X-ray powder diffraction to characterize corrosion products (e.g., sodium lead carbonate hydroxide), developing preventive conservation strategies for vulnerable heritage objects. Her work integrates art technology, materials science, and archaeological context to address real-world conservation challenges.

Her 12 publications from 2009-2017 reveal consistent focus on corrosion chemistry in cultural heritage, particularly glass-metal interactions and organic residue preservation. Methodologically, she pioneers crystallographic analysis of degradation products, contributing foundational knowledge to heritage science. Key themes include novel corrosion product identification (e.g., copper formates indicating wood emissions), materials evaluation for conservation, and stratigraphic analysis of archaeological finds.

Dr. Fischer supervises Bachelor's project work and Master's restoration theses while leading GIMME project research (2012-2016). She collaborates internationally with institutions like the Canadian Conservation Institute and participates in archaeological fieldwork, demonstrating applied research integration with teaching. Her memberships include ICOM-CC and VDR (as spokesperson for Ethnographic Objects Group).

Based in the Conservation-Restoration Department workshop at Stuttgart's Weißenhof Campus, she applies her expertise to both artifact treatment and academic training. Her ongoing research continues to advance understanding of degradation pathways in museum collections, directly informing preventive conservation protocols worldwide.