Mona Hess

Prof. Dr. Mona Hess is a Full Professor and Chairholder of the Chair of Digital Heritage Technologies at Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg, Germany. She directs the M.Sc. Digital Technologies in Heritage Conservation program and serves as Vice-Speaker at the Centre for Heritage Conservation Studies and Technologies (KDWT). Her work bridges digital documentation, 3D imaging, and heritage conservation, with a focus on cultural landscapes, historic timber, and artifact preservation.

• Education: Dipl.-Ing. in Architecture (TUM), M.A. in Heritage Conservation (University of Bamberg), Ph.D. in 3D Imaging Metrology for Cultural Heritage (University College London, 2015)

Her research spans 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry, SLAM-based recording, and digital twin environments, particularly for structural monitoring, museum artifacts, and historic gardens. She leads projects like VirScan3D (virtual laser scanner simulator) and 3DPetrie (UCL Petrie Museum 3D models) and collaborates on international initiatives such as the British Museum War Canoe digital repatriation.

Recent publications emphasize automated defect analysis in timber, multi-modal imaging for ceiling art, and linked open data in heritage. She has contributed to CIPA ICOMOS as an expert member and will chair their Education and Dissemination Commission (2024).

• Scientific Awards: Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (2016), Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2014)

She teaches courses in Digital Object Recording, 3D Spatial Data Modeling, and Science Communication, and organizes international summer schools on heritage monitoring. Her lab, the Chair of Digital Heritage Technologies, collaborates with institutions in Italy, Spain, and the UK, focusing on interdisciplinary innovation in heritage conservation.