Mary M Brooks

Mary M Brooks PhD MA DMS DipTexCons ACR FHEA FIIC FSA, Associate Professor, Department of Archaeology, Durham University. Having worked in the book world and management consultancy, Mary then qualified as a conservator at the Textile Conservation Centre (TCC), Hampton Court Palace/Courtauld Institute. She undertook conservation and curatorial roles in Europe, America and England before returning to the TCC as Head of Studies and Research. She was Acting Director of Studies, MA Cultural Heritage Management at the University of York and Monument Fellow at York Castle Museum and is now Director of the MA Museums & Artefact Studies at Durham University. She also teaches on the MA International Cultural Heritage Management, having been Director of this programme for ten years, and the MA Conservation of Archaeological and Museum Object. She is particularly interested in applying object-based research and conservation approaches to the interpretation of cultural artefacts as a means for enhanced public engagement.  Research interests include seventeenth-century English domestic embroidery and has guest -curated two exhibitions of embroideries at the Ashmolean Museum the use of X-radiography for understanding of textiles and dress, vestments and sacred textiles as well as regenerated protein fibres.