Alex Roach, Director of Modified Atmospheres
Alex Roach is a preventive conservation and integrated pest management professional, with more than 20 years experience in materials conservation.
Alex worked in the commercial pest control industry before commencing work with the Materials Conservation Division of the Australian Museum in 1990. As the Museum’s Pest Control Officer, Alex designed, implemented and maintained the Museum’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. Whilst working at the Museum, he assisted with research into new methods for controlling insect pests.
In 1994, Alex was awarded the ESSO Scholarship, which enabled him to undertake further studies in North America and Canada. During this time he took part in a pest management for museums course run by the Getty Conservation Institute. He visited a number of institutions to investigate their pest control programs and to learn some of the latest developments in low-toxic and non-toxic methods for controlling pests in a museum environment.
Alex established Heritage Pest Management in 1996. HPM was rebranded as Modified Atmospheres in 2014.
Specialising in the control of museum pests, Alex has worked with most of the major Australian museums including The Australian Museum, The National Trust, The Historic Houses Trust of NSW, The Art Gallery of NSW, The Powerhouse Museum, The Western Australian Museum, The Museum and Art Gallery of Tasmania, The Museum of Old and New Art, and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, as well as many excellent small or private museums and galleries.
Alex has been invited to provide specialist support and training to venues throughout Australia and overseas, such as the Australian pavillion at the Venice Biennale.
Alex works with conservation professionals to develop integrated pest management plans, as well as conducting site inspections and providing detailed reports.
Alex is a well-known and respected speaker, delivering lectures and workshops all over the world on integrated pest management and non-toxic fumigation. Alex also provides on-site and hands-on training for organisations which are interested in implementing their own integrated pest management plans.
To arrange an inspection, workshop or training session, please get in touch.
Publications
- “To bag or not to bag? Treatment of a large Solomon Islands war canoe and the growing threat of drywood termites to collections in Australia” – Alex Roach, Heather Mackay & Colin Macgregor. A Pest Odyssey (Conference) (2011 : London, England)
- “Pest management for archives (When a rolled-up newspaper just won’t do)” – Alex Roach. iRMA (Information and Records Management Annual), Records Management Association of Australasia (2009).
- “Integrated Pest Management” – Alex Roach. Fact sheet produced for the AICCM website (2008)
- “A non-chemical approach to fumigation” – Alex Roach. Rapid Solutions Pest Management Conference, Brisbane (2007)
- “What works for us: issues that affect the Historic Houses Trust of NSW’s choice of treatment for pest control” – Tamara Lavrencic & Alex Roach. AICCM Bulletin, Vol. 28, 2003 – Issue 1
- “Laboratory evaluation of an insect growth regulator, fenoxycarb, for the control of Tineola bisselliella (Hum.) in museum collections” – Mark Gilberg & Alex Roach. Studies in conservation, Volume 42, Number 4, p.207-210 (1997)
- “The effects of low oxygen atmospheres on the powderpost beetle, Lyctus brunneus (Stephens)” – Gilberg, M. & Roach, A. Studies in Conservation 38 (1993)
- “Inert atmosphere disinfestation of museum objects using AGELESS oxygen absorber” – Gilberg, M. & Roach, A. 2nd International Conference on Biodeterioration of Cultural Property, Japan, 1992 (1992)
- “The Use of a Commercial Pheromone Trap for Monitoring Lasioderma serricorne (F.) Infestations in Museum Collections” – Gilberg, M. & Roach, A. Studies in Conservation. Vol. 36, No. 4 (Nov., 1991)