ATSIDA welcomes new team member Monica Galassi, an Italian researcher, who will be working with us over the next few months to identify potential Indigenous research data held in Italian collections.
As a special project officer, Monica will aim to identify Indigenous research material held in Italian cultural heritage collecting institutions such as galleries, archives, libraries and museums. ATSIDA also aims to identify Italian researchers who have engaged in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This information will be used to compile an inventory of relevant research data held in Italy. The inventory will be an important resource for ATSIDA to inform researchers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about collections held overseas that are useful for ongoing research and analysis.
The creation of the inventory may also enable future research projects and potential collaboration between institutions to identify research material that will be suitable for digitisation and for transmission to the communities to which it relates. The provision of copies of research data to relevant communities is a particular commitment for ATSIDA.
Monica will be circulating a survey widely to Italian archives, libraries and museums, and will soon be visiting Italy to meet with some collecting institutions already identified as having material of interest. The ATSIDA blog will have regular updates from her trip to Italy.