Monica Galassi

Monica Galassi is a Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney's Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. She holds a PhD in International Studies and Education from UTS's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her work focuses on Indigenous sovereignty over cultural heritage, particularly addressing colonial archives held in European institutions. She has held roles including Research Associate (2020-2024) and current Research Fellow (2025-2027) at Jumbunna.

Education includes a Doctor of Philosophy (UTS), Master by Research in Cultural Anthropology (Ca' Foscari University), and Bachelor in Letters (Ca' Foscari University with international exchange at University of Sydney). Disciplines span Anthropology, Critical Heritage Studies, and Indigenous Social Justice.

Her research emphasizes digital restitution, Indigenous data sovereignty, and participatory archival practices. Key projects include 'Aboriginal Archives in Italy' exploring transnational Indigenous-European archival collaboration. She co-leads the NSW Australian Mukurtu Hub, advancing Indigenous-led digital archiving systems.

Publications address decolonizing archives, ethical digital practices, and Indigenous representation in cultural institutions. Awards include the Mander Jones Award (2019) for impactful archival scholarship and a UTS Research Excellence Scholarship.

Funded projects include the Coota Girls Survivor Stories Archive and Wonnarua Language Digital Archive. She advises Monash University on Indigenous archival partnerships and participates in global initiatives like the Indigenous Archives Collective.