Public defence in Computer Science, M.Sc. Heikki Rantala

Title of the thesis: Publishing, Exploring, and Analyzing Cultural Heritage Linked Data

Thesis defender: Heikki Rantala
Opponent: Professor Isto Huvila, Uppsala University, Sweden
Custos: Professor Eero Hyvönen, Aalto University School of Science

Memory organizations, such as archives and museums, produce large amounts of cultural heritage data that has great significance for research and society at large, but there are often issues with accessibility and interoperability of the data. This thesis presents multiple case studies where such data has been opened as linked data knowledge graphs using controlled vocabularies and linking the employed concepts to national and international vocabularies. This makes the data more interoperable and accessible. These case studies include death records from the Finnish Civil War, records of archaeological finds made by the public, and biographies of prominent individuals from Finland and various other European countries. The new data, which is more accurate and interoperable, can be used to deepen our understanding of Finland’s past. 

In addition to publishing the data, multiple web applications were developed to make accessing the data easier. These applications, such as WarVictimSampo 1914–1922 and FindSampo, can be used by both researchers and the general public. The thesis demonstrates how web applications with features such as faceted search and various visualizations can allow users to explore and analyze the data without requiring technical expertise.

The thesis work also involved developing new tools for creating web applications based on linked data and new methods for modeling cultural heritage. These tools and models can be used both in Finland and internationally to make cultural heritage data more accessible.

Keywords: linked data, cultural heritage, digital humanities, archaeology, war history

Contact information: heikki.rantala@aalto.fi 

Thesis available for public display 7 days prior to the defence at Aaltodoc.