Panagiotis Bourlessas

Panagiotis Bourlessas is a Fixed-term Researcher (Assistant Professor) in Geography at the Department of History, Archaeology, Geography, Arts and Entertainment (SAGAS), University of Florence, Italy, since September 2021. Previously, he held research fellowships at the University of Turin (2019-2021) focusing on urban studies.

His educational background includes a PhD in Urban Studies (2014-2018) from Gran Sasso Science Institute and Sant'Anna University, a UNICA Joint Master in Urban Studies (2011-2013) across five European universities, and a Master's in Business Administration (2004-2011) from Athens University of Economics and Business.

Bourlessas specializes in socio-cultural urban geographies, examining themes of urban marginality, spaces of care, retail gentrification, and body-space relations through ethnographic and visual methodologies. His fieldwork in Athens, Turin, and Florence investigates how marginalized populations navigate urban spaces, with particular attention to homelessness, food consumption practices, and sensory experiences in commercial environments.

His recent publications (2021-2025) reveal a concentrated focus on foodification processes in Italian cities, analyzing how food markets drive retail gentrification in Turin and Florence. Parallel research explores homeless geographies through institutional care spaces and innovative artistic interventions like dance performances and multimedia installations that reframe urban foodscapes.

No scientific awards are documented in the available records.

While no formal advising roles are specified, Bourlessas collaborates extensively on interdisciplinary projects including the "I live in Florence" urban laboratory and performance-based geographical inquiries. His office hours are held weekly in Studio 118 with email appointments required.

He actively participates in collaborative teams developing public geography initiatives, particularly through artistic-urban interventions at Florence's Sant'Ambrogio marketplace and Porta Palazzo market in Turin, merging academic research with community engagement through food-centered spatial practices.