Latvian Fulbright Visiting Scholar Dr. Elīna Vikmane to Conduct Research at the Smithsonian Institution
Dr. Elīna Vikmane, Latvian cultural heritage scholar and director of the Cultural Heritage Governance and Communication master’s program at the Latvian Academy of Culture, has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright Visiting Scholar Fellowship to conduct research at the Smithsonian Institution—the world’s largest museum and research complex.
“It is a great honor to be selected as a Fulbright awardee. The opportunity to work at the Smithsonian allows me to pursue two of my key academic interests—digital innovation in the heritage sector and participatory research—on a new level, with the goal of generating insights of international significance in collaboration with Smithsonian colleagues and fostering future scientific partnerships,” said Dr. Vikmane.
Her research project, titled Participatory Science in Museums: Digital Device-Based and Digital Platform-Mediated Approach, explores the intersection of three rapidly evolving and increasingly interconnected phenomena: the paradigm shift toward participatory museums, which has globally redefined the concept of a museum; the unprecedented growth of citizen science (also known as participatory science) in the 21st century; and the accelerating advancement of digital technologies and platform-mediated services. The study focuses on the role of uniquely positioned facilitators—namely, museums—within this framework, aiming to understand the barriers and potential of different community facilitation strategies in digital environments and how the scaling of digital participatory science projects transforms these relationships.
Elīna Vikmane earned her PhD by defending the dissertation "The Development of Cyber-Museology: The Diffusion of Digital Innovation in the Museum Sector in Latvia." She is recipient of the Aina Birnitis Scholarship in the Humanities from the U.S.-based Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies. Her academic work has been recognized with the “Fastest Growth in Science” award from the Latvian Academy of Culture (2023) and the Emerging Scholar Award2021 from the international network The Inclusive Museum Research Network. In addition to her research, Dr. Vikmane serves on the boards of the Latvian Museum Association and the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation. She is elected leader of “Digital Transformation in Museums” working group within the Network of European Museum Organisations.
The Fulbright Program, the flagship international academic exchange initiative sponsored by the U.S. government, has fostered mutual understanding between the United States and other countries since 1946. More information: https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/about-fulbright/fulbright-program-overview
The Latvian Academy of Culture is a state-established interdisciplinary institution of higher education in the arts and culture, founded in 1991. The Academy is dedicated to cultural, cultural heritage and artistic research. It offers accredited short-cycle, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral study programs. Its Development Strategy 2023–2027 identifies internationalization as a core priority in advancing excellence in higher education and research.
Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of Dr. Elīna Vikmane and the Latvian Academy of Culture and do not necessarily reflect those of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Government, or the Government of Latvia.