Sabina Simonic

Sabina Simonic is a Senior Scientist at the Institute for Conservation and Restoration at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, where she actively contributes to teaching and research in modern and contemporary art conservation. She serves as a lecturer and contributor in multiple courses, focusing on modern materials and conservation-restoration practices.

Her research interests include the conservation of time-based media, digital and interactive artworks, hacker ethics, and the preservation of computer-based art. She emphasizes the intersection of technology, art, and ethical conservation practices, particularly in DIY and open-source contexts.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward the analysis of digital art conservation, professional regulation in Europe, and risk assessment in media artworks. Her work bridges technical documentation with policy advocacy in the conservation field.

• Representative of the European Confederation of Conservators-Restorers' Organisations (E.C.C.O.)
• Vice President, Berufsverband Österreichischer Restauratorinnen und Restauratoren (ÖRV)
• Board Member, ENCoRE – European Network for Conservation-Restoration Education

She has advised on conservation strategies for significant artworks and contributed to national and international discourse on conservation standards. Her professional service extends into leadership roles shaping policy and education across Europe.

Sabina Simonic is also affiliated with pioneering tech communities, having chaired Metalab (Austria’s first hackerspace) and co-founded Mz Baltazar’s Lab, a feminist hackerspace, highlighting her commitment to inclusive technological cultures.