Marly Muudeni Samuel

AREA OF EXPERTISE: Knowledge and Cultural Heritage Digitalisation, Augmented Reality, Community Engagement, Participatory Design

AFFILIATION: Glasgow School of Art (UK)

Marly is a PhD candidate with the School of Innovation and Technology at the Glasgow School of Art. Her research focuses on the use of immersive technologies and photogrammetry to record and preserve ocean heritage in Namibia. Adopting the methodologies of participatory design and co-production, Marly has collaborated with coastal communities to create the augmented reality application – Efuta Letu Sida Hurib – that captures knowledge, practices and values related to the sea. Marly holds a Master of Informatics and a Bachelor of Software Engineering, both awarded by the Namibian University of Science and Technology, and has previously worked with marginalised communities in Namibia to promote inclusive access to technology and equitable sustainable development.

ImpacT

For her PhD research work, Marly organised and conducted 18 focus group workshops with co-researchers from the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, in Namibia. The co-production workshops focused on investigating, learning, and understanding the diverse indigenous knowledge, relationships and connections that the co-researchers have with the ocean, as well as exploring the potential of digital technologies in supporting, recording, and preserving ocean heritage. Through the workshops, co-researchers shared their intricate connections with the ocean, which were further strengthened and deepened as they learned more about the ocean from each other during the research and co-production process. Co-researchers also engaged with digital and immersive technologies, exploring their potential preserving knowledge and cultural heritage. 

Through the participatory design approaches employed, positive interactions with co-researchers were fostered, allowing co-researchers to openly express themselves and freely share their knowledge and experiences. Co-researchers also engaged with digital and immersive technologies. For many of the co-researchers, it was their first time experiencing immersive technologies such as augmented reality and they were excited by the prospect and experience. A multidisciplinary intersection between technology, the ocean, knowledge, and cultural heritage emerged, emphasising the importance of digital technologies and their role in supporting and preserving ocean knowledge and cultural heritage.

In the course of her PhD journey, Marly was invited to speak at the Virtual & the Real: Immersive Technologies in Cultural Heritage Research and Practice event organised for the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) Cultural and Museum Studies Discipline + Catalyst (April 2021). She also presented at the Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment (GNHRE) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Summer/Winter Course 2023 panel on knowledge hierarchies (2023) and the Social Science and Humanities Seminar Series with Elise Morgera and Mia Strand.

Recently, Marly held an AR and VR exhibition in collaboration with the Centre for Marine Environmental Education and Sustainability (CeMEES) for children from the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, in Namibia, celebrating World Ocean Day. The exhibition was held at the Swakopmund Museum and was attended by government officials, educators, as well as community members. The VR and AR exhibition created a platform for the learners and community members to experience the ocean and learn about ocean cultural heritage through the lens of technology.

Making waves

Working with One Ocean Hub colleagues and researchers from various disciplines and countries provided me with numerous opportunities for growth. It provided me with a platform to learn about different ways of engaging with people, communities and across disciplines, as well as employing appropriate methods and approaches that would fit in the various contexts I worked in.

These engagements and experiences taught me the importance of telling and preserving our stories for posterity. Thus, as an African researcher, I am dedicated to telling my story, as passed down to me by my elders and further watered with the knowledge I have gained. I am also committed to digitally documenting, recording and preserving these stories, and our Indigenous and experiential knowledge and cultural heritage, with consent and in a respectful and culturally sensitive manner.

Recent publication

Co-Production Process with Coastal Communities: Surfacing Ocean Knowledge, Relationships and Culture In the Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Communities and Technologies – read here >>

MARLY’S ADVICE TO FELLOW EARLY-CAREER RESEARCHERS

Identify one research niche or interest that genuinely resonates with you. In research, you’ll be faced with various challenges, and I discovered that my passion for my work and the impact it made, increased my motivation and tenacity. Through my research, it has been inspiring to see people engaging and learning about digital technologies for personal and community development.

As researchers, we must also recognise that when conducting research, especially in countries and communities with deep rooted beliefs, the imperative is to first and foremost respect their ways and invite them not only to be participants, but fellow researchers and knowledge holders. It is also important to get acquainted with the historic context of the communities you are engaging with. Lastly, always remember to ask for assistance or direction and build lasting networks with the people and communities you are working with.