Michael C. Henry, AIA, an adjunct professor in the Department of Historic Preservation, has received the Sheldon and Caroline Keck Award for excellence in the education and training of conservation professionals from the American Institute of Conservation (AIC).
In addition, on April 18, the Weitzman School of Design announced that Henry had earned the G. Holmes Perkins Distinguished Teaching Award.
Professor Henry has taught a generation of preservationists and architects, having taught at the Weitzman School for 30 years. He has also served as principal engineer and founding partner of Watson & Henry Associates since 1987. The AIC Keck Award recognizes Henry’s service at the Weitzman School and the Winterthur/University of Delaware Department of Art Conservation.
Architectural conservator and Historic Preservation graduate Alex B. Lim serves as the AIC’s Awards Committee Chair. On the selection process, Lim shares, “In a career that spans the international worlds of historic buildings to museums and collections requiring preventive care, Michael Henry’s teaching method and style reflect his staunch dedication to sustaining the field of conservation into the future. The outpouring of support is impressive enough on sheer number of support letters alone; the contents of the deeply sincere and moving letters prove beyond any doubt why Michael Henry’s dedication to the education of conservation professionals is long-overdue.”
In a letter of support for Henry’s nomination, Cameron Moon (MSHP’20), writes “Michael views his students not only as people to teach, but as people he can learn from. He considered my thoughts and deductions with curiosity and enthusiasm, always posing questions to make me more inquisitive and consider problems differently.”
Moon continues, “He taught me to think preventively and to design solutions that will mitigate deterioration in the future, even if we’re called to respond to a problem…He demonstrated the difficulties we would be presented with when practicing preventive conservation, preparing us for the realities of professional practice.”
The Keck Award will be formally presented at the AIC’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday May 21, 2024, and Henry will receive the Perkins Award at the Weitzman Commencement ceremony on May 18, 2024.
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