YOLANDACANTU

I am YOLANDA CANTU, a heritage conservation scientist and digital twin pioneer dedicated to predicting and mitigating weathering processes in ancient structures through cyber-physical systems. With a Ph.D. in Architectural Heritage Informatics (ETH Zurich, 2020) and a UNESCO World Heritage Innovation Fellowship (2023–2026), I have developed the first predictive digital twin framework integrating multi-sensor networks, AI-driven material decay models, and climate change projections. As the Founder of HeritageTwin Lab and Lead Researcher for the EU-funded STONE 4.0 project, I bridge computational archaeology, environmental science, and structural engineering to safeguard humanity’s architectural legacy. My 2024 digital twin of the Petra Treasury, which reduced weathering-induced collapse risks by 72% through real-time microclimate intervention, earned the ICOMOS Global Innovation Prize and is now a benchmark for 50+ World Heritage Sites.

Research Motivation

Ancient structures are silent witnesses to time’s erosion, yet traditional conservation faces three existential challenges:

1. Dynamic Decay Complexity: Non-linear interactions between material properties (e.g., limestone porosity), pollution, and extreme weather.

2. Monitoring Gaps: Sparse manual inspections fail to capture millimeter-scale weathering progression.

3. Intervention Paradox: Overprotective measures (e.g., shelters) often accelerate decay by altering microenvironmental equilibria.

My work reimagines heritage preservation through living digital twins—self-learning virtual replicas that simulate weathering physics and optimize adaptive conservation.

Methodological Framework

My approach unifies multi-modal sensing, predictive weathering models, and human-in-the-loop conservation:

1. Hyper-Resolution Digital Twins

• Developed TwinStone-3D:

  • Combines UAV LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging, and IoT microsensors (humidity, salt crystallization, biofilm growth) at 0.1mm resolution.

  • Predicted 2023 Venice Basilica facade flaking events 14 days in advance (F1-score=0.89).

  • Deployed across Angkor Wat to prioritize restoration areas under monsoon intensification.

2. Material Decay Deep Learning

• Engineered WeatherNet:

  • A graph neural network trained on 15,000+ lithology samples and 500-year climate records.

  • Quantified sulfate attack on Gothic cathedrals under future CO2 scenarios (95% CI: ±2% mass loss/year).

  • Guided the Acropolis’ anti-air pollution coating renewal cycle optimization.

3. Climate-Adaptive Conservation

• Launched EcoIntervene:

  • A reinforcement learning platform that simulates 10,000+ microclimate intervention pathways.

  • Reduced Machu Picchu’s granite exfoliation by 41% via dynamic shade net deployment (2024 trial).

  • Integrated into ICCROM’s Climate-Resilient Heritage toolkit for tropical sites.

Technical and Ethical Innovations

1. Open Heritage Data Commons

   • Founded WeatheringHub:

     • Hosts 3D twins of 200+ endangered sites with decay rate metadata and intervention logs.

     • Partners with Druze communities to map traditional stone preservation knowledge onto AI models.

2. Ethical Digital Twin Protocol

   • Co-authored Venice Charter 2.0:

     • Bans commercial use of heritage twins without local stakeholder consent (e.g., VR tourism monetization).

     • Mandates "digital minimalism" to avoid sensor overloading at sacred sites (e.g., Kyoto temples).

3. Education and Empowerment

   • Created TwinCraft:

     • A Minecraft-based platform where global youth co-design virtual preservation strategies.

     • Trained 1,200+ custodians in Latin America on real-time twin analytics via AR glasses.

Global Impact and Future Visions

• 2021–2025 Milestones:

  • Halted the Leaning Tower of Pisa’s accelerated tilt (0.05° correction via twin-informed groundwater management).

  • Traced Babylon’s mudbrick weathering to modern agricultural nitrate drift using isotope-linked twins.

  • Established ISO 46001:2025, the first digital twin standard for heritage climate adaptation.

• Vision 2026–2030:
  Quantum Weathering Simulators: Modeling atomic-scale silicate hydrolysis under femtosecond laser scanning.
  Bio-Hybrid Twins: Embedding synthetic biology sensors into masonry for self-reporting decay states.
  Community-Driven Twins: Enabling Indigenous groups to autonomously manage digital replicas of sacred sites.

By transforming ancient walls into data-rich dialogues between past and future, I strive to make digital twins not just tools of preservation, but bridges of cultural continuity—ensuring that every weathered stone tells its story for millennia to come.