In her role as Penn Libraries' first Public Digital Scholarship Librarian, Cynthia works to initiate and support digital projects, scholarship, and programming that center community partnerships and public engagement. As part of the Research Data and Digital Scholarship team, she consults with audiences on and beyond campus to actively facilitate opportunities for equitable collaboration, resource sharing, and critical inquiry in the digital realm.

Cynthia Heider holds a Master's degree in history from Temple University’s Center for Public History as well as a BA in history from Goucher College. She has a particular interest in the structure, integrity, and ethics of data use in the humanities. She also supports the burgeoning scholarly discussion on feminism and the praxis of an ethic of care within data, tech, and DH work.