About

Hi, I'm Dr Evanthia (Eva) Samaras. I'm a senior leader in data governance and records preservation, with expertise in higher education research ecosystems and supporting public sector research initiatives. I design and direct research projects and cross-functional programmes, built upon strong regulatory insight, strategic thinking and evidence-based practice. I'm known for developing cohesive teams, executing strategies and advancing digital capability to strengthen compliance, enhance service delivery and realise organisational goals.

Presently I'm the Program Manager for Digital Preservation at the University of Melbourne and a Sessional Academic at Adelaide University.

I have extensive public sector experience having held positions at the National Archives of Australia, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Public Record Office Victoria. I've also led research projects and supported teaching programmes at the British Library, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, University of South Australia, Charles Sturt University, RMIT University and University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

In 2021 I completed my PhD with the Faculty of Engineering and IT (FEIT) at UTS. My doctoral research built on my education and professional experience in data governance and media production. Through collaborations with global film and television visual effects companies, I explored and documented their digital recordkeeping and archiving practices, and developed recommendations for improvement.

I've also volunteered my services in support of global scholarly research. I've been an editor for Archivoz, and I'm a peer reviewer for the International Journal of Digital Curation and Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture journal.

Two projects I contributed to at the University of Melbourne were bestowed with 2023 Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards from Public Record Office Victoria.