Varutti tok doktorgrad ved Universitetet i Genève i Sveits i 2008, og hadde et forskningsopphold ved the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology ved Universitetet i Cambridge i Storbritannia som en del av doktorgradsarbeidet.
Hun kom til IKOS for første gang i 2009, for å jobbe på et forskningsprosjekt om hvordan museene i Norge presenterer ikke-norske kulturer. Dette førte til flere andre samarbeidsprosjekter, og etter hvert et postdoktorstipend finansiert av FRIHUM-programmet til Norges Forskningsråd.
Før dette var Varutti tilknyttet School of Museum Studies ved Universitet i Leicester i Storbritannia, som postdoktor og foreleser på masternivå.
Forskning og undervisning
Varutti utdyper om sin forskning og sine visjoner om undervisningen på engelsk:
"My research investigates the relationships between museums and Indigenous Peoples, and notably how Indigenous Peoples’ perspectives are gradually impacting on both museum theory and practice. Taiwan is my main field of research. This is a truly exciting context since in contemporary Taiwan the recognition of Indigenous Peoples and the revival of indigenous cultures go hand in hand with the development of the museum scene. Most importantly, the issues and challenges met by Indigenous Peoples in Taiwan resonate strongly with broader indigenous issues at international level. Indeed setting the Taiwan case study into a wider international comparative perspective – that notably includes the Sámi of Norway, as well as Canadian First Nations among others – is a key aspect in my analytical approach, and one that I am very keen to develop further in future research.
At IKOS I will be teaching foundational courses in the Master in Museology and Cultural Heritage – such as the course “Critical Museum Studies: Theory and History”. I am very excited to introduce students to the main theories, concepts and practice-based perspectives that are currently shaping the field of museum studies. Museum studies is a relatively young disciplinary area, and one that is undergoing major and fast transformations. Moreover, teaching a new generation of museum professionals at UiO is a great opportunity to give more prominence and visibility (both regional and international) to Norwegian and Nordic museological perspectives and experiences. This feels truly like an exciting time for museum studies at the University of Oslo, and I am thrilled to be part of this!"