Stefan Simon is the Inaugural Director of the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage (IPCH) at Yale University. Trained as a conservation scientist, Simon earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich.

Dr. Simon is a leading voice in the international culture in crisis debate and involved in various collaborative efforts to rescue and preserve cultural heritage. For example, in response to the recent and ongoing destruction of historical sites in the Middle East and Africa, the IPCH and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, were granted UNESCO patronage to bring together the international conservation and preservation community to discuss ways of counteracting the massive loss of cultural heritage.