Joel Taylor is a researcher working principally in the fields of heritage studies and conservation. He has published on conservation theory and decision-making, digital humanities, heritage values, intangible heritage, intergenerational justice, materiality, politics and policy in heritage, preventive conservation, and sustainable approaches to conservation. He has a BSc (hons) in Archaeological Conservation and a PhD in conservation (both Cardiff University, UK).

Prior to joining NIKU in 2020, he was a Senior Project Specialist at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles (2015-2020), where he co-managed the Managing Collection Environments initiative. He has worked at NIKU previously, in the Conservation and Culture & Society departments (2012-2015) as well as the University of Oslo (2011-2012), University College London Institute for Sustainable Heritage (2002-2011), English Heritage (1999-2002), and the National Museums and Galleries (1997-1999). In these roles, he has worked with anthropologists, archaeologists, chemists, engineers, geographers, philosophers, physicists, and statisticians on a wide variety of research, advisory, and educational projects.

His professional interests include the role of heritage in society, heritage values and policy, sustainability, digital humanities, conservation, intergenerational studies, education and pedagogy.