Paola Ricciardi

Dr Paola Ricciardi is a heritage scientist with 20 year's experience of interdisciplinary research, impact and engagement in the UK, the US, France and Italy. Her research interests include the non-invasive technical analysis of cultural heritage objects, with a focus on medieval, Renaissance and early modern books and manuscripts; the study of artists’ materials and techniques; and the transfer of knowledge between artists and craftsmen working in different media. She is currently a co-investigator on a 3-year AHRC-funded research project (2024-2026). Between 2011 and 2022, Paola worked as a Senior Research Scientist at the Fitzwilliam Museum, which is part of the University of Cambridge. She set up and developed the museum's first scientific research laboratory and research group. She holds a PhD in Cultural Heritage Science from the University of Florence (2008) and a MSc in Physics from the University of Rome (2003). Before joining the Fitzwilliam, she spent three years as a Post-Doc at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.