Darien DiNaro: Collective Memory in the Digital Age

Darien DiNaro is a current AUP student studying for an MSc in Human Rights and Data Science. She recently presented her research on Holocaust remembrance and collective memory in the digital age at the Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism’s (ASEN) 2024 Conference: Nationalism and Memory.

How did you come to the HRDS program?

Prior to my master's, most of my academic and professional experience focused on direct interactions with people as an educator and program coordinator. My goal was always to help people, but helping can mean different things and take many forms. As I learned more as a student, I was able to see the value in creating systemic-level change. The HRDS program combined my deep interest in humanity with the development of technical skills; I wanted to have a “toolbox” to drive change through policy and research.

 

When did you start researching collective memory in the digital age?

My interest began during my time as a museum educator at the Providence Children’s Museum in Providence, Rhode Island. This museum has a set of interactive exhibits about different immigrant communities in the state and I loved seeing families recall their histories in these spaces. Sites of memory serve an important function in society and the internet and social media have revolutionized the ways in which we remember things—and how long those memories last. Many institutions now also occupy a digital space and it led me to wonder how collective memory in these spaces works differently from in physical spaces.

MSc in Human Rights and Data Science

Association for the Study of Ethnicity and Nationalism’s (ASEN)

George and Irina Schaeffer Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights and Conflict Prevention 

Providence Children’s Museum 

 

HRDS students with Claudia Roda
DiNaro (third from right) with HRDS students, Professor Claudia Roda (center) and guest lecturer Régis Chatellier (back center), Innovation & Foresight Project Manager at CNIL (French Data Protection Authority)

What surprised me most was how complex the interconnectedness of the physical and digital world is! 

– Darien DiNaro

What did your research involve? 

I worked with several museums who generously helped me collect data on their daily visitor trends. I then used anomaly detection methods to identify unseasonably high and low rates of visitor attendance to the museums—both in person and online—and compared them. What surprised me most was how complex the interconnectedness of the physical and digital world is! Points of convergence between the two are often clear, but understanding why there are differences in online behavior proved challenging.

How was the experience of presenting at the conference? 

It was an incredible opportunity! As this was my first academic conference, I thought I’d be nervous and intimidated, but on day one I was met with such a welcoming group of intelligent researchers—I am thankful for their encouragement and feedback on my work. They reminded me of the importance of academic exchange, and it was a pleasure to witness the co-creation of so many ideas. I am grateful to the George and Irina Schaeffer Center for the Study of Genocide, Human Rights and Conflict Prevention for sponsoring what ended up being such a formative experience.  

You’re also an intern at the OECD’s Network on Labour Market, Economic and Social Outcomes. What are you most enjoying about that opportunity? 

The high level of collaboration! Producing publications at the OECD requires the combined forces of many teams, directorates and delegates. Participating in all this exchange has allowed me to explore many different facets of the work and benefit from the knowledge and guidance of many industry professionals.