Candidate Statements – Executive Committee Elections 2025
We are delighted to introduce the candidates standing for election to the EADH Executive Committee. Their statements, presented in the order of submission, reflect the diversity and richness of our community.
1) Jonas Müller-Laackman: "I consider commitment to multilingualism, cultural diversity and inclusion within and beyond Europe as a core principle of the European idea. With my self-nomination for the EADH Executive Board, I want to contribute to increasing the visibility of multilingual digital humanities in academic and public discourses and infrastructures, especially with regard to marginalised fields and low-resourced languages. I would also like to raise awareness of infrastructural needs at the intersection of academic libraries and the digital humanities, and encourage greater collaboration at the different levels of academic work. As an Arabist, digital humanist, and head of a digital scholarly services department, I am aware of the political, infrastructural, and research-related needs and challenges, as well as the different perspectives that come with this intersection. As a co-founder of the Multilingual DH working group in DHd and an active member of the corresponding ADHO SIG, I am already actively involved in improving the situation for researchers working with low-resourced languages. As a member of the EADH Executive Board, I could increase my involvement and provide an additional perspective to strengthen EADH’s agency and support at a time when academic stakeholders need to stand firm against an increasingly unstable and anti-diversity environment."
2) Vassilis Routsis: "I am currently a Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in the Department of Information Studies at UCL. Over the past 14 years, I have worked on a wide range of Digital Humanities initiatives, developing and applying digital methods including data infrastructure, visualisation, GIS, and Generative AI. I have led and managed several funded projects, most recently the ESRC-funded CORDIAL-AI. My work with the UK Data Service has further enabled me to contribute to large-scale, interdisciplinary teams, strengthening my ability to collaborate across diverse roles and deliver impactful, community-oriented research. My work sits at the intersection of computing and the humanities and social sciences: I create research software to support scholarly enquiry while also critically engaging with digital methods from humanities and social science perspectives. My vision for EADH is to build on the excellent work of current and past executive committees and help guide the Association into the future. I aim to support EADH in addressing emerging challenges and embracing the opportunities presented by new technologies and methods in Digital Humanities. I am committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to ensuring EADH remains a welcoming, representative space for a wide range of voices and scholarly traditions.
3) Dinara Gagarina: "I am a digital historian using databases, GIS, computer vision, and statistics to study the Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and post-independence Russia, Ukraine, and Central Asia. Until Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, I advanced digital humanities in Russia, developing programs and research centers. Since 2023, I serve at the Chair of Modern and Eastern European History, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, focusing on Central Asia’s digital history, and lead the Digital Humanities Major in Budva, Montenegro. I am also the national moderator of The Digital Humanities Course Registry for Russia and Montenegro. I am co-founder of the DH CLOUD Community, launched in 2022, which connects Russian-speaking digital humanists worldwide. In Central Asia, I collaborate with partners to build digital humanities communities and infrastructure. Committed to diversity, I promote postcolonial digital humanities and address the digital divide, preventing digital tools from reinforcing colonialism in regions like Central Asia. I am a direct member of EADH. I aim to advance EADH’s mission through open practices, sustainable methods, and multilingual dialogues. I am eager to work actively and communicate openly with and for the EADH community, and would be honored to serve on the EADH Executive Committee."
4) Anna Foka: "I am honoured to put myself forward for election to the Executive Committee of EADH. As the founder of the Centre for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences at Uppsala University, I dedicated my career to bridging culture, art and digital technologies. My research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence and digital humanities, with a particular emphasis on applying AI-driven methods to archives and heritage collections. I lead the research program “AI Futures of Culture and Memory,” funded by the Wallenberg Foundation, studying how AI can transform the stewardship and interpretation of cultural heritage while addressing historical biases. My international experience spans several institutions, and I hold Australian, Greek, and Swedish citizenships, giving me a global perspective. I have co-founded the Digital Gender research network, I contribute to the Digital Classicist community, and coordinate Sweden’s National Graduate School in Digital Humanities, where I have developed AI-integrated curricula and championed critical digital literacy. My diverse background and strong international network position me to help EADH broaden its inclusivity and multinational profile, especially for underrepresented communities. I am committed to inclusive research, leadership, and infrastructure development, and I am eager to contribute to EADH’s mission as a member of the Executive Committee."
5) Swantje Dogunke: "My name is Swantje Dogunke and I studied Museum Studies in Leipzig, where I developed a strong interest in information science and cultural data. My career led from evaluating museum databases in Weimar to developing infrastructures for exhibition management and provenance research across libraries, archives, and museums. I later earned a degree in Library and Information Science in Berlin. Insights into DH work generously shared by colleagues at the Herzogin Anna Amalia Library in Weimar and the Bibliotheca Hertziana in Rome, as well as a joint project with the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, shaped my international and interdisciplinary perspective. I now work at the Thuringian University and State Library, focusing on data and process modeling, project management, and co-design of research infrastructures. My path into DH was greatly supported by the European Summer University in Digital Humanities in Leipzig in 2014. Meeting experts and peers there was essential to building confidence and networks early on. I want to help create similar opportunities for newcomers and early career researchers today. I’m committed to strengthening regional DH initiatives, integrating sustainable, reusable solutions into existing structures, and connecting them meaningfully to the broader European DH landscape."
6) Lucia Michielin: "I am pleased to submit my candidacy for the EADH Executive Committee for the 2025–2028 term. As Digital Skills Training Manager at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Data, Culture & Society and the Edinburgh Futures Institute, I design and deliver a training programme supporting researchers in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences to engage with digital and data-informed methods in their work. My academic background is in Classical Archaeology and Digital Humanities, with a PhD from the University of Edinburgh. My research focused on computational approaches to Roman domestic architecture, and I have contributed to interdisciplinary projects involving GIS, 3D modelling, and photogrammetry. In my current role, I have broadened my engagement with DH methodologies beyond archaeology and remain committed to fostering inclusive, cross-disciplinary digital scholarship. Beyond research and teaching, I actively contribute to the DH community by organising workshops, summer schools, and collaborative events. Recent activities include co-organising the Digital Humanities Research Software Engineering Summer School and contributing to international panels on digital pedagogy and DH & Heritage. At this pivotal moment in EADH’s development, I am eager to support its strategic relaunch by promoting collaboration, diversity, and sustainability across the European DH community."
7) Jessica Witte: "I am writing to submit my candidacy for the EADH Executive Committee’s 2025–2028 term. As an early-career researcher, I see this as an opportunity not only to grow as a leader but also to contribute to shaping the future of our field. With an interdisciplinary background in literary studies, cultural heritage, and computing, I have benefited significantly from the collaborative ethos of the DH community. Like many, I am self-taught and relied on the support of mentors as I developed practical skills in digital methods. My experience has shaped my commitment to expanding opportunities for peer support, collaboration, and training across the field. I have been a member of the Alliance of Digital Humanities Organisations (ADHO) since 2018—initially through the Association for Computing in the Humanities and now as a member of EADH. If elected, I would hope to strengthen EADH’s role in encouraging international collaboration and capacity building. I am committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and contributing to ongoing efforts of making our field more inclusive and globally connected. I believe these priorities are essential as we respond to wider challenges in the humanities today. It would be an honor to serve on the EADH Executive Committee."
8) Joëlle Weis: "I’m the head of the “Digital Literary and Cultural Studies” research area at the Trier Center for Digital Humanities at Trier University (Germany). My background is in Early Modern History, which I explore using digital methods. What I value most about the Digital Humanities is the openness of the community and the natural way it brings together different disciplines. Building and strengthening that community is something I really care about. I co-lead the DARIAH Working Group on Community Building, where I focus on creating spaces for collaboration and exchange. I'm also an active member of DHd (the Association for Digital Humanities in the German-speaking areas) and helped organize the 2023 annual conference, gaining hands-on experience in planning large events and bringing people together. I believe these experiences and skills could contribute to the ongoing development of EADH. It would be a real honour to support and represent the European DH community in the role as member of the executive board."
9) Eetu Mäkelä: "I (https://iki.fi/eetu.makela) am a professor of digital humanities at the University of Helsinki and the current chair of Digital Humanities in the Nordic and Baltic Countrie, one of the associate organisations of EADH. I seek a place on the EADH executive firstly to improve EADH as a platform for interaction between its AOs. For example, to publish DHNB's conference proceedings, we’ve built a diamond open access publication platform (https://journals.uio.no/dhnbpub/index) that we’d be willing to let others use. And we’re sure others also have practices we could learn from. Through the executive, I’d also seek to affect the DH field internationally. For example, I’m personally very sad about the split between the computational and digital humanities communities. DHNB has spent quite a lot of time developing our conference into one that welcomes and benefits equally participants from all of humanities, computational and GLAM backgrounds, and I’m interested in whether what we’ve learned could still help mend the rift on the international level."
10) Anna Maria Marras: "I am PhD in archaeology and research fellow in Archival, Library, and Information Science at the University of Turin’s Historical Department, where I specialize in the digital transformation of cultural heritage. My work bridges academia and practice, focusing on open data, digital access, and inclusive strategies within Italian GLAM institutions. In my role as General Secretary of AVICOM ICOM, I engage with international networks that promote the integration of visual culture and technology, advocating for participatory and innovative approaches in the field. I am passionate about strengthening the dialogue between local communities, memory institutions, and digital infrastructures. As a member of the EADH Executive Committee, I would contribute with experience in both research and cultural policy, with a commitment to amplifying voices from Southern Europe and supporting interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. I believe in EADH’s potential as a key player in advancing equitable and sustainable digital practices in the humanities across Europe."