Dr. Marina Toumpouri is the Manager of the 3D / Software Development Team at the CYENS Centre of Excellence. She brings two decades of interdisciplinary experience in digitization, digital humanities, and cultural heritage management, with a particular focus on documentation, preservation, and knowledge transmission. At CYENS, she plays a key role in shaping and delivering research and innovation initiatives that bridge traditional humanities scholarship with cutting-edge technology across the cultural and creative sectors.

Dr. Toumpouri holds a Bachelor’s degree in Musicology from the University of Lorraine, a Master’s degree (D.E.A.) in Art History from the University of Strasbourg, and a Ph.D. (Doctorat) in Art History from the University of Lille, with a specialization in Byzantine Manuscript Studies. 

Her research is dedicated to the integrative application of emerging technologies, such as Mixed and Extended Reality (MR/XR), 3D modelling, interactive media, for cultural heritage documentation, digital storytelling, and public engagement. She explores how these tools can be used not only for the safeguarding of heritage assets, but also for reactivating them as living, participatory resources. She is particularly interested in the development of immersive and narrative-driven experiences that facilitate the interpretation of complex historical and cultural content by both academic and non-specialist audiences.

Dr. Toumpouri has led and contributed to national and EU-funded research and innovation projects focused on the sustainable valorisation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage. These initiatives place a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, participatory design, and community co-creation. 

In addition to her research activities at CYENS, Dr. Toumpouri serves as an expert advisor to the Church of Cyprus on matters related to heritage conservation, digital archiving, and the curation of ecclesiastical collections, contributing to the preservation and promotion of Cyprus’s religious and cultural legacy.