Data flows through everything. Pictures, texts, sound, videos, games, films, Twitter, money, research – everything has changed into a single stream if bits which zips around the world through the air and through cables, and which is stored on servers around the world.

In addition to this, our society and culture have taken to this new virtual dimension and digitised our older historical documents. Researchers have a constant and increasing need to explore this new environment and learn how to handle these materials in their work. This creates new potential research areas for them, as well as new opportunities for integrating large amounts of date into their analyses, publications and newer forms of communication. At the same time new skills and cooperation between different types of people are required.

It is in the meeting of these old and new technologies and human sciences that Jessica Parland-von Essen thrives best. She is also inspired by a belief on transparency, civilization and cooperation.

‘The digital environment has fantastic potential for both us in the humanities as well as all other researchers. Currently I work in the Open Science and Research project at the CSC-IT Center for Science. We do a lot of work to create services which support researchers with information management. When our materials are electronic, they have to be published and maintained. This requires new services and new skills.

Parland-von Essen has benefited very much from her background in archives and libraries.

‘The digital humanities is a rapidly growing area with both renewed resources and methods. The field’s development is very fast and interesting. It is important to keep the humanities up to date with the evolution of the media and society. Humanists have a lot to give as experts in meaning and culture.’