Kirsten Thorpe
Professor, Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney
Kirsten Thorpe is Professor at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology Sydney, where she leads the Indigenous Archives and Data Stewardship Hub. A Worimi woman from Port Stephens in New South Wales, she is internationally recognized for her leadership in Indigenous archives and digital cultural heritage, advancing decolonizing practices in libraries and archives and across the broader GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums). Before moving into academia, Thorpe built a substantial career in major cultural and collecting institutions, working to advance Indigenous participation and priorities within library and archival services. She previously served as Manager of Indigenous Services at the State Library of New South Wales, where she led initiatives to embed Indigenous perspectives and cultural competency across the state’s public library network. She is a co-founder of the Indigenous Archives Collective and contributes to the development of archival practice through roles including membership in the International Council on Archives Expert Group on Indigenous Matters and service on the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council.
Thorpe’s work speaks directly to the theme of DH2026, “Engagement.” Indigenous archives challenge digital humanities not only to develop new technical infrastructures but also to build meaningful and ethical relationships with communities whose histories are held in archival collections. Her research demonstrates how archival platforms, metadata systems, and digital infrastructures can support forms of engagement grounded in respect, reciprocity, and data sovereignty, an increasingly urgent issue in an era when large-scale digital datasets and large language models draw upon archival knowledge.
Her earlier collaborative research includes “Designing archival information systems through partnerships with Indigenous communities: Developing the Mukurtu Hubs and Spokes Model in Australia” (2021) and collective statements such as the “Indigenous Referencing Guidance for Indigenous Knowledges” (2023) produced by the Indigenous Archives Collective. Together, these works explore practical strategies for Indigenous-led archival infrastructures, the “right of reply” to colonial records, and the development of Living Indigenous Archives on Country, providing models for ethical collaboration between digital humanities scholars, archives, and Indigenous communities. Her contributions to the archival profession have been recognized with several honors, including the President’s Award from the Australian Society of Archivists (2019) and the ASA Mander Jones Award (2020) for her work on supporting Indigenous self-determination in libraries and archives.
For more about Thorpe and her work, please visit