The first scientific expedition to the USA to 3D scanning the cultural heritage of the Polish community

The Lublin ECCC Foundation acquired the project “Research on the national cultural heritage of the Polish community in the USA and the creation of digital memory collections” as part of the program of the Polish Minister of Education and Science: “Science for Society”, area: “Humanities-Society-Identity”.

The aim of the project is to acquire and preserve in the digital space the cultural heritage of the Polish community in the USA (including those threatened with loss due to demographic reasons) and its popularization. The project envisages the implementation of three scientific expeditions to the USA in order to 3D scan at least 15 churches built by the Polish community abroad, as well as the organization of three photographic exhibitions, the development and maintenance of an internet portal with the results of the work (including digital memory collections and historical data about objects) and the development and the publication of two scientific monographs (one each in the areas of computer science and humanities).

In addition to the employees of the ECCC Foundation, two teams of scientists participate in this interdisciplinary project: one – computer scientists from the Lublin University of Technology (Department of Computer Science, Lab3D Laboratory), and the other from the Catholic University of Lublin (Centre for Research on Polish Diaspora).

The core of the team from the Lublin University of Technology are:

  • Dr. Eng. Marek Milosz, prof. university – team leader,
  • Dr. hab. Eng. Jerzy Montusiewicz, prof. university – head of Lab3D,
  • Dr. Eng. Jacek Kesik,
  • Dr. Eng. Elizabeth Milosz.

On October 9-22, first scientific expedition to the USA. The expedition operated in Chicago and Milwaukee. As part of the expedition, a team of 6 scientists conducted research in 6 church buildings built in the Polish community in the USA. 3D scanning was carried out (and historical data was obtained by the team from the Catholic University of Lublin) of the following objects:

  • Basilica of St. Jack in Chicago,
  • Church of St. Trinity in Chicago
  • Church of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr in Milwaukee,
  • Church of St. Stanisław Kostka in Chicago,
  • Church of St. Hedwig in Chicago,
  • Church of St. Michał in Chicago (closed – intended for liquidation/sale).

In addition, the team met with the management and teachers of the Polish school operating at the parish of St. Trinity Church in Chicago, took part in a parish picnic and met with Bishop Piotr Turzyński – a delegate of the Polish Episcopal Conference for the Pastoral Care of Polish Emigration. The band also took part in an interview broadcast on Polish Radio Chicago about the project.

3D scanning technology consists in obtaining information about the size and appearance of objects using 3D scanners – special Hi-tech devices. The acquired data is then subjected to post-processing, i.e. processing with the use of specialized software. As a result, three-dimensional (3D) models of objects are created: basic – mapping the geometry and appearance of the object in order to document them, and simplified – for dissemination, i.e. for presentation on the Internet or for use in technologies such as virtual reality (VR). All this will be available on a special website in Polish and English: Polskie Dziedzictwo 3D and Polish Heritage 3D.

Other sources:

Press:

Logo – stamp of the expedition: