Trilce Navarrete Hernandez

Trilce Navarrete Hernandez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Arts and Culture Studies at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She is a leading researcher in the economic and historical aspects of digital heritage and teaches in the Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship program at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Her research interests center on digital heritage, cultural economics, museum studies, and the economic implications of digitization. She investigates how digital technologies transform cultural institutions, focusing on business models, open data, and sustainable access to digital collections. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) through knowledge dissemination and policy engagement.

Navarrete’s recent publications reflect a strong interdisciplinary focus on digital transformation in cultural institutions, examining topics such as crowdsourcing, digital tourism, and innovation metrics. Her research combines economic analysis with historical insights into the evolution of digital museums, particularly in the Netherlands.

• Scientific advisor, European Group of Museum Statistics (EGMUS) since 2011
• Chair, International Committee of Documentation (CIDOC), International Council of Museums (ICOM)
• Member, Board of the Association of Cultural Economics
• Academic Director, AI Arts and Culture Research Practice at ECDA
• Coordinator, RECHARGE (Horizon project)
• Part of interim management, EIT Culture and Creativity

She has secured substantial research funding, including a €3 million Horizon grant as principal investigator for RECHARGE, and has contributed to major European initiatives like ENUMERATE. Navarrete is actively involved in academic service, having served as a PhD examiner and journal reviewer. She co-founded the academic blog Economists Talk Art and the Cultural Economics Online Series, and frequently delivers keynotes and public lectures.

She leads the AI Arts and Culture Research Practice at ECDA and is deeply embedded in international networks related to digital heritage and cultural policy.