DRI are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Caroline McGee as Project Lead for the Atlantic Philanthropies Archive Project
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Caroline McGee as Project Lead for the Atlantic Philanthropies Archive Project, based at the Digital Repository of Ireland at the Royal Irish Academy. This recently-announced venture involves the creation of a digital archive of select research collections about the foundation’s approaches and impact across Ireland. The digital archive will be preserved for persistent access and builds upon Atlantic Philanthropies’ complete paper and electronic records spanning 35 years of grantmaking in eight regions, which are housed at Cornell University Library in Ithaca, New York. DRI’s role is part of a larger ‘Active Curation’ project supported by Atlantic Philanthropies to encourage the development of philanthropy for social change, particularly for disadvantaged or vulnerable people. Partners include Cornell University Library, Bridgespan Group, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and Fast Company.
Dr. McGee is an experienced researcher, designer, and curator of public history projects, most recently the 1916 exhibitions for DRI’s flagship digital cultural heritage platform Inspiring Ireland and the visual archive of Irish architecture and sculpture Gothic Past for Trinity College Dublin. She has an academic background in humanities research at Trinity College Dublin and has lectured, written, and presented nationally and internationally about Ireland’s cultural heritage.
‘Caroline is richly experienced in delivering digital history projects, and DRI is fortunate to have her expertise and passion contribute to this important project,” said Dr. Natalie Harrower, Director of the Digital Repository of Ireland. 'We are committed to building a digital archive and exhibitions at a level that accurately reflects Atlantic’s deep investments in Ireland, and Caroline has the right experience and commitment to lead the way.'
‘I am so pleased to have been chosen to lead this important project and relish the opportunity it brings to highlight the transformative legacy of The Atlantic Philanthropies’ in Ireland across the social and cultural spectrum from higher education, to aging, children and youth, reconciliation, and human and civil rights’, said Dr. McGee. ‘The archival material will be curated as themed, digital exhibitions, beginning with LGBT history. Storytelling will be an integral element of the exhibitions and we’ll be including personal insights and experiences from people across the island of Ireland to show the impact of philanthropy on everyday lives.’
