President, Senior Conservator

Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)

Joe Sembrat has been immersed in the conservation field for over 14 years providing conservation assessments, design, and implementation of conservation treatments and lecturing on relevant topics in the field. His extensive experience in the treatment of masonry and metals led to the development and creation of the unique firm, Conservation Solutions, Inc. (CSI). Joe co-founded CSI with his wife, Julya, in 1999, with a goal excelling in the treatment of historic monuments and sculpture, industrial artifacts, and buildings. High-profile projects include artifacts from the salvaged R.M.S. Titanic wreck-site, such as the “Big Piece,” the conservation of two Saturn V rockets, the treatment of 12 sets of over life-sized bronze gates at the US Commerce Department Building in Washington, DC, and a nineteenth-century Cotton Gin facility located in Scott, Arkansas. Joe achieved his professional Associate status in AIC in 1996, Fellow status in 2007, and served as the Architectural Specialty Group Coordinator and Chair from 2000 to 2002.

He not only is passionate about testing, design, and implementation of conservation treatments, but he is equally enthusiastic about research and writing. He has written and lectured internationally on various conservation topics including his research on reliable methods for the application and monitoring of protective barrier coatings for outdoor monuments, which introduced a new treatment method to the field. He has also published many articles in Traditional Building Magazine, including the article, “Planning, Performing, and Managing the Conservation of Outdoor Monuments,” which serves as a guide for property owners on how to successfully work with a conservator. He recently co-authored the article entitled, “Conservation of Historic Metals by Waterjetting Techniques” for the Journal of Architectural Conservation.

Education:
1993 MS, Historic Preservation, Research and Thesis: The Conservation of Outdoor Bronze Statuary, Columbia University, New York, NY

1990 BA, Art History, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
1990 Art History Studies, University College London