Maria Economou

Professor Maria Economou holds the title of Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at the University of Glasgow, with a joint appointment between the School of Humanities (Information Studies) and The Hunterian. She leads digital initiatives at The Hunterian, including the Digital Strategy (2017-2020), and has pioneered projects like the Beauty in Hell: Culture in the Gulag virtual exhibition. Her research focuses on digital technologies in museums, visitor studies, and cultural collection management, emphasizing participatory approaches and emotional engagement.

Education and Career Path: Returned to University of Glasgow in 2013 after roles at the University of the Aegean, University of Manchester, and Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford). Her academic career began at HATII (Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute) in 1997.

Research Interests: Intersection of Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage, digital storytelling, museum evaluation, and ICT impact on cultural organizations. Key projects include the €5.6M Museums in the Metaverse (2023-25) and the EMOTIVE project (2016-2019), which explored personalized cultural experiences.

Awards and Recognition: British Academy/Wolfson Research Professorship (2022-2025), Glasgow Engagement Award (2021), and leadership roles in CREATe and UNIVERSEUM. Editor for journals like Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage.

Grants and Collaborations: Led/co-investigated projects totaling over €11M, including EU-funded initiatives (POEM, EMOTIVE). Partnered with institutions like National Museums Scotland, UNESCO, and global cultural organizations. Co-founded the Glasgow Digital Cultural Heritage Arts Lab.

Labs/Teams: Active in The Hunterian’s digital programs and the CREATe Centre. Advises museum projects worldwide, including Greece, Cyprus, and Scotland.