The Inclusive Museum Research Network

Part of the Research and Teaching Personnel in Training at the Department of Art History, University of Zaragoza, under a predoctoral contract granted by the Ministry of Science and Innovation. She is pursuing her doctoral thesis, focused on private museums of contemporary art in Spain and their international connections. She has professional experience in the art market and in independent advising for art collections. She is actively involved in the research project “Modern/Contemporary Art Museums in Spain: Their Territorial Integration” and is a member of the research group “Observatory of Aragonese Art in the Public Sphere” and the “Institute of Heritage and Humanities”. She has participated in national and international conferences with presentations related to the field of museology.

Gracia is a dynamic, award-winning leader recognized for her impactful contributions to cultural innovation. As co-founder of a pioneering museum without walls, she secured support from over 40 institutional partners and funding from all three levels of government. These resources supported locally-based, co-created projects that united diverse groups across various disciplines and sectors to pursue shared goals. Currently, she holds a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship at Concordia University where she has long been affiliated with the Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling.

Mo Li is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. Her research focuses on media law and censorship, particularly in the context of independent film and visual culture. With a multidisciplinary background that includes degrees in Film Production, English Literature, European Studies, and Business Administration, she has worked across academia, the media industry, and the nonprofit cultural sector. Mo is also the co-founder of Very Private Gallery, an independent art space in Madrid, supporting artists through residencies, exhibitions, and mentorship.

Judith Abellán-Reina is a PhD candidate in Heritage Management and Museology at the University of Barcelona, where she is part of the DIDPATRI research group. She holds an MA in Cultural Heritage Management and Museology (University of Barcelona), a BA in Humanities with a mention in Art Studies and Modern and Contemporary Studies (Pompeu Fabra University), and a BA in Journalism (Pompeu Fabra University). She has worked with various contemporary art institutions and with the Catalan Museums and Moveable Assets Protection Service. Her research analyzes citizen participation and community engagement in art museums. Other academic interests include critical heritage studies, site-specific education, and care museology.

Katya Provornaya is a researcher, writer and creative practitioner focused on museum learning, inclusion and mental health. She has written for the Routledge Handbook of Museum and Heritage Education and Journal of Education in Museums, and produced cultural content for the BBC and GQ. As Communications & Participation Manager at GEM, she organises large-scale training events and edits academic publications. Katya co-produced the For Arts' Sake podcast and has spoken at multiple international conferences in the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. She holds a Chevening-funded MA in Museums and Galleries in Education from UCL and is interested in community engagement and digital storytelling.

Professor-Researcher and Editor of the journal Turismo y Sociedad at the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Business Management, Universidad Externado de Colombia. She holds a PhD in Cultural Heritage from the University of Birmingham (England), a degree in Tourism and Hospitality Business Management from the Universidad Externado de Colombia, a Master's in Tourism Planning and Management from the same institution, and a Master's in Tourism and Heritage from Université Lumière Lyon II (France). Her research interests include tourism, heritage, museums, heritage and museum tourism management, and memory tourism.

As a PhD candidate at Durham University funded by the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council, Ellen investigates trends in museums’ websites and social media over the past five years. Drawing on her background in Art History and Data Science, she explores how digital infrastructure shapes our experience of cultural heritage. Her most recent project—supported by the Alan Turing Institute—examines which types of museums and collections are missing from the online landscape. Ellen’s research has wide applications across the public sector and has been presented at museum conferences and featured in the Austrian national newspaper Der Standard.

Gesualda Iodice is a Research Assistant and Doctoral Candidate in Management at the Department of Economics, Management, and Institutions at the University of Naples Federico II. Her research focuses on benchmarking and strategic analysis in the social and cultural sectors. Alongside her academic work, she contributes to teaching courses in Economics and Business Management, as well as Management of Cultural Enterprises. Her main research interests include social entrepreneurship and Benefit Corporations, particularly those rooted in the arts and culture. She also explores how disruptive technologies can enhance cultural value propositions and improve accessibility. Gesualda is the author of nationally and internationally recognized academic publications, a speaker at international conferences, and serves as a reviewer for international journals.

Francesco is a PhD fellow at the University of Santiago de Compostela within the Horizon Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network AntCom – From Antiquity to Community. He is enrolled on the PhD programme in History, Geography, and Art History at USC and is affiliated with the Interuniversity Research Centre for Atlantic Cultural Landscapes (CISPAC). He holds an MA in World Heritage Studies from BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg (Germany), and has gained museum experience through traineeships in the Czech Republic at the National Museum and the National Library. His PhD research focuses on narratives surrounding the UNESCO-listed Tower of Hercules lighthouse in A Coruña, exploring themes such as critical heritage studies and collaboration between local communities, the UNESCO site, and the city’s Archaeology and History Museum.

Lleah Smith, born in Cabrogal Country, Australia, and based in Ngāmotu, Aotearoa, works at the intersection of pedagogy, art, and the curatorial. Her PhD research positions fermentation as a teacher and guiding force for change, fostering spaces for productive agitation and flourishing difference. Smith has contributed to notable projects, including The Waterhouse (rīvus, 23rd Biennale of Sydney), Radical Care Kit, Sydney Children’s Hospital (2023-2024), and Kaldor Studio, Kaldor Public Art Projects x Art Gallery of NSW (2019). She is the Head of Public Practice and Creative Enquiry at Govett Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre and Puke Ariki Museum and Libraries.

Her name is Zartasha Shah. She completed her 66 PHD credits at the University of Houston from Fall 2020-Fall 2024. She worked for the COE Dean’s Graduate Student Advisory Council from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024 and as a first doctoral mentor for the PEEPS program from Fall 2023 to Fall 2024 at the University of Houston. She received the President’s Volunteer Service Bronze Award from the White House in Fall 2023 and also the Silver Award in Fall 2024. The Consul General of Pakistan awarded her in the Fall 2020 and the Fall 2024. She presented the research in the United States in 2021 and 2024, England, Argentina, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, and Korea in 2024. This year, she will present in Pakistan, Taiwan, United States, Spain, and France. She served as the Chair of sessions of AERA in spring 2024 and spring 2022. She also served as the mentor in Argentina in 2024. She is the author of two books including Why does art education matter? and Colors of Art. She resides in Texas, USA.

Bianca Cortes-Lehner is an Austrian PhD candidate in African Studies whose work focuses on Afro-Latin American heritage. She studies how Afro-Colombian communities use museums, memorials, and community centres to challenge colonial narratives and confront racism. Her case studies range from community museums to participatory exhibitions. Bianca holds MA degrees in Civic Education and Development Studies, as well as additional qualifications in Romance languages, project management and education. She has also completed training at the Afro-Latin American Research Institute at Harvard. Prior to pursuing research, she held leadership positions at international schools in Latin America and the Philippines, an experience which informs her decolonial pedagogy and activism for sustainability with Scientists4Future.

Sifan Liu, recipient of the Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado from Universitat de Barcelona in 2025, holds a PhD in Management of Culture and Heritage. Her research centers on cross-cultural museum studies, exploring cultural heritagization, art production, nd museum processes in global metropolitan regions, with a focus on urban vitality and sustainability. She was a granted alumna of the Museo Nacional del Prado (Madrid) summer school in 2024, and completed an international research internship at CERLIS, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris), in 2022. Her current work lies in Tibetan collections at public art galleries and museums.

Ekin Yay is a visual communication designer and researcher currently pursuing a Master’s in Design, Multimedia, and Visual Communication at Sapienza University of Rome. Her thesis explores the intersection of graphic design and theatre with archival purposes. She holds double BA degrees in Media and Visual Arts and English Language & Comparative Literature from Koç University, Istanbul. Her graphic design work spans print and digital media, with a particular focus on editorial design, typography, and motion, integrating visual communication with literature, theatre, and cultural research. With a growing interest in spatial design, including stage, exhibition, and performance, she investigates curatorial and installation practices. Her academic background in critical theory informs her commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and accessible design.