Digital Medieval Studies Institute
Established in 2023, the Digital Medieval Studies Institute offers one-day workshops on digital scholarly methods specifically tailored for medievalists. Offerings vary from year to year, but always aim to introduce participants to a range of digital methodologies in use within the field of medieval studies. The primary goal of DMSI is for attendees to gain sufficient training during the one-day event to apply the skills acquired to their ongoing research and teaching in medieval studies.
Participants select one of five workshop topics to explore in depth over the course of the day. These focused workshops are complemented by sessions of lightning talks at midday, as well as group discussions involving all participants. The day concludes with a social hour to facilitate networking among scholars with shared interests.
DMSI 2026
The Digital Medieval Studies Institute is presented in cooperation with the Digital Medievalist, the Newberry Library, and the Medieval Institute at Western Michigan University. Additional financial support has been provided by the College of Arts and Sciences at Western Michigan University and Western Michigan University Libraries. DMSI 2026 will take place on the campus of Western Michigan University on May 13, 2026, immediately preceding the 61st International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Workshop Offerings
Building a Virtual Medieval Pilgrimage, Kalani Craig, Department of History, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
From Digitized Manuscript to Digital Edition, Laura Morreale, Independent Scholar, and Nicholas Laiacona, Performant Software
3D Modeling from Photo and Video, Matthew Davis, Independent Scholar
Introduction to Handwritten Text Recognition, Tobias Hodel, Digital Humanities, University of Bern
Manuscript Description and Research in the Digital Ecosystem, L. P. Coladangelo, Digital Scriptorium, and Lynn Ransom, Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies, University of Pennsylvania Libraries
Schedule of Events
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.: Gathering with Tea/Coffee
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.: Opening Assembly
9:45 - 11:45 a.m.: Workshop Session (1)
12:00 - 12:30 p.m.: Lightning Session (1)
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.: Lunch
1:30 - 2:00 p.m.: Lightning Session (2)
2:15 - 4:15 p.m.: Workshop Session (2)
4:30 - 5:00 p.m.: Closing Assembly
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.: Reception
Participation Fees
Registration for DMSI is done as part of the registration process for the International Congress on Medieval Studies. The participation fee for DMSI 2026 is $125; this is in addition to the regular registration price for the Congress.
Up to ten awards will be available to support attendance at DMSI. These awards will consist of participation fee waivers, and they also include subsidized registration fees for the Congress.
Organizers
Laura K. Morreale is an independent scholar whose research centers on medieval French-language writing outside of the Kingdom of France and Italian urban historiography. She is currently an Associate of the Standing Committee on Medieval Studies at Harvard University and the Co-founder and Project Coordinator for the open-access resource, Middle Ages for Educators, at Princeton University. Dr. Morreale currently serves as the Digital Humanities Reviews Editor for Speculum.
N. Kıvılcım Yavuz is Lecturer in Medieval Studies and Digital Humanities at the University of Leeds, where she is Programme Lead for the MA in Medieval Studies. Her research lies at the intersection of medieval studies and digital humanities, with expertise in two areas: European manuscript culture, especially the role of manuscripts as material artefacts in textual transmission and book history, and medieval historiography, focusing on the origin stories of peoples and nations. In digital medieval studies, her work centers on manuscripts, particularly digitization, the creation and interpretation of data and metadata, and the design of digital repositories. She is a member of the Advisory Council of Digital Scriptorium and, since 2022, has been Director of the Executive Board of Digital Medievalist.
