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RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. Sickels-Taves has devoted much of her research to the analysis of building materials, particularly historic masonry. She has been a pioneer in the application of rigorous scientific methodology and advanced technology to materials analysis in historic preservation. Her efforts in this area have produced unique and novel insights into the way building materials, and their uses, vary through time. Results have been published in Masonry Construction, Old House Journal, the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) Bulletin, and ASTM’s Journal of Testing and Evaluation. Her recent work with the vernacular and historic building material, tabby, culminated in the 1999 book, The Lost Art of Tabby Redefined: Preserving Oglethorpe’s Architectural Legacy. This research also earned Dr. Sickels-Taves two 1997 honorable mention awards with APT.

These interests continue, with research underway, on other vernacular materials (e.g. soddies) and architectural elements (e.g. porches). On the local scene, Dr. Sickels-Taves hopes to work closely with the Michigan SHPO on lighthouses, and will remain active in preserving the buildings at Greenfield Village in Dearborn—both subjects actively involving students. She is also chair of the 2002 Vernacular Architecture Forum’s annual meeting, to be held here in Detroit.

Throughout her career, Dr. Sickels-Taves has maintained a close, and highly rewarding, relationship with the National Park Service. Her most recent collaboration with the National Park Service involves an architectural and structural assessment of “The Chimneys”, remnants of 19^th century slave cabins, at Cumberland Island National Seashore. This follows a project three years ago on the same island. Securing a grant, Dr. Sickels-Taves spent the summer of 1997 restoring the Tabby House, an 1804 overseer/bookkeeper’s house.

Professionally trained in Scotland, Dr. Sickels-Taves also has a long-standing interest in international preservation. This interest has led her to pursue fieldwork in Scotland and Hungary—naturally on building materials, namely mortars, lime, and stucco. As a keen observer of historic preservation in the international arena, she has been a leader in the attempt to raise awareness of the need for international standards for historic preservation. This stemmed from observing the continual, yet detrimental use of Portland cement in rural areas of Europe. To promote this awareness, Dr. Sickels-Taves chaired an ASTM symposium on “The Use of and Need for Preservation Standards in Architectural Conservation,” and edited a subsequent book by the same title.

Dr. Sickels-Taves is a firm believer that hands-on is the best way to learn and understand historic preservation. To this end, her goals under the auspices of Eastern Michigan University include study abroad programs, numerous local and diverse site visits, and hands-on classroom assignments. She would like to help students research and publish their own preservation experiences.