The Canning Chronicles is pleased to honor Frank Matero with the first Thistle Award for his lifelong dedication to developing graduate education programs in historic preservation. Twenty years ago, when historic preservation was in its infancy in this country, Professor Matero served on the faculty of the graduate program of Historic Preservation at Columbia University's Institute of Fine Arts (1981-1990). During this time he also served as Director of the school's Center for Preservation Research. His was one of the first programs of its kind in the U.S. and served as the training ground for some of today's most accomplished conservators.

In 1990, Matero joined the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation at the University of Pennsylvania where he is now Chairman and Associate Professor of Architecture. It is the mission of UPenn's graduate program to prepare graduates for professional careers in, "The identification and analysis of cultural places and their historic fabric, the determination of significance and value, and appropriate degrees of intervention, and the implementation of prescribed conservation and management. These areas all require special preparation in history, documentation, planning, design and technology."

An accomplished professional conservator, Professor Matero has to his credit numerous impressive projects. A partial list includes Mesa Verde National Park, Drayton Hall, Cairo's Medieval Quarter, Ellis Island National Historic Site, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. His own projects have brought him together with some of the top professionals in the preservation field. With his access to diverse and accomplished colleagues, Matero makes a special effort to expand the student experience. Courses frequently include presentations by these working professionals who bring their experiences in applied preservation into the realm of academic theory.

Since 1990, the Architectural Conservation Laboratory and Research Center at UPenn (for which Matero also serves as director) has been an integral part of the graduate program providing students with conservation training beyond the classroom through sponsored project research and practical fieldwork.

Matero's published work includes many technical articles on historic building technology and conservation theory and practice as well as several books ranging in topics from architectural ceramics to ancient and historic metals to conserving buildings. He has been recognized with awards for his exemplary work both as an author and conservator by such respected groups as - the American Institute of Architects, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the New York State Association of Architecture, and the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation to name just a few.

With the Canning Chronicles Thistle Award, we express our thanks to Frank Matero for his devotion and vision in educating those future generations who will be entrusted with the preservation and conservation of our fragile built environment.

www.upenn.edu/gsfa/his_pres/index.htm

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