Professor Maria Evagorou is affiliated with the University of Nicosia , where she holds a faculty position in the School of Education , Department of Education . Her work focuses on science education, particularly on enhancing argumentation skills in socioscientific issues (SSI) and fostering cultural literacy. Research Interests : Science education, argumentation, SSI, system thinking, elementary science teaching, and digital literacy. Projects : Principal Investigator in EU-funded initiatives like Up-STEAM , NBS4Schools , and SciLMi , addressing climate change education and misinformation combat. Recent Publications : Systematic reviews on STEM reforms, STEAM curricula for girls, and SSI integration in classrooms. Key themes include dialogue, critical thinking, and pedagogical innovation. Email : evagorou.m@unic.ac.cy
Prof. Dr. Osman Kukrer is a full-time faculty member at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. He has been actively supervising graduate students in power electronics, control systems, and renewable energy integration since the 1990s. His research spans advanced power conversion topologies, including quasi-Z-source inverters multilevel converters active power filters grid-connected systems adaptive beamforming algorithms electric vehicle grid integration Notable contributions include the EMU Publication Citation Award (2017) and extensive supervision of 41 graduate theses, with research interests aligning with modern energy systems and signal processing techniques.
Kristis Alexandrou is a Researcher at the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC) of The Cyprus Institute. He holds a Master’s degree in Architecture (MA) and a Ph.D. in Architectural Engineering from the University of Cyprus, focusing on hybrid bending-active structural systems. His research emphasizes Structural Design, Computational Methods, and BIM applications in heritage conservation. He contributes to projects like ENI-CBC-MED BEEP, RIF-UrbanPeriscope, and Horizon Infra, advancing BIM interoperability for cultural heritage data management. His professional experience includes architectural design and heritage retrofitting in Cyprus. At STARC’s Virtual Environments Lab (VElab), he develops BIM-based workflows to address data interoperability challenges in arts and humanities. Key projects include 'BIM to BPS interoperability' leadership in the BEEP Project and semantic data integration for Mediterranean heritage sites. His work bridges computational innovation with sustainable heritage preservation.
MSc. Sinem Alturjman is a Lecturer in the Department of Artificial Intelligence Engineering at Near East University's College of Engineering. Her academic work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and internet of things (IoT) systems. Research areas include: Development of AI-powered learning facilitators and educational tools Integration of blockchain for secure IoT architectures Optimization of mobile cloud computing services Application of machine learning in cybersecurity frameworks 6G communication systems with intelligent routing protocols Recent publications demonstrate expertise in: AI-enhanced scheduling mechanisms Decentralized cloud-IoT architectures Reinforcement learning applications Smart healthcare systems with blockchain Energy-aware routing protocols for sensor networks
Prof. Dr. HURİYE İCİL serves as a full-time faculty member in the Chemistry Department at Eastern Mediterranean University's Faculty of Arts & Sciences. Her academic career spans over three decades with continuous research output and student supervision. Educational background includes: PhD in Chemistry from Ege University (1993) MS in Chemistry from Eastern Mediterranean University (1991-1993) BS in Chemistry from Middle East Technical University (1879-1884) Her research focuses on photochemistry and materials science, specializing in perylene and naphthalene diimides for applications in fluorescent sensors, dye-sensitized solar cells, and biopolymer functionalization. Recent work explores chitosan-based fluorescent polymers for DNA detection and computational drug repurposing for diabetes treatment. Her publications demonstrate consistent innovation in molecular engineering of chromophores with tailored photophysical and electrochemical properties. Scientific contributions include: Research Grant from CNRS, France (1994) NATO Science Scholarship from USA (1993) EMU Research Incentive Award (2021) Prof. İcil has supervised 14 PhD students to completion and currently mentors 3 ongoing doctoral candidates, alongside 27+ master's theses. Her research projects include water-soluble naphthalene diimide chemosensors and multicromophoric systems for solar cells. She leads collaborative work on perylene-based metal complexes for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells.
Professor Panos Papanastasiou is affiliated with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cyprus, within the School of Engineering. He has held significant administrative roles including founding President of his department, Dean of the School of Engineering, and founding Director of the Master's Program in Natural Gas Engineering. PhD in Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota (1990) MS in Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota (1986) BSc in Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (1984) His research focuses on geomechanics across petroleum engineering, energy transition, and environmental applications. Key areas include hydraulic fracturing , wellbore stability , sand production , and CO2 geological storage . He also investigates green hydrogen storage , photovoltaic cracking , and offshore pipeline dynamics . Recent publications highlight his leadership in hydraulic fracturing modeling (2025), green hydrogen integration (2024), and geomechanical analysis of faulted reservoirs (2025). His work spans computational mechanics, energy systems, and environmental risk assessment. Scientific Recognition : Top 2% scientist worldwide in Geoscience, Energy and Engineering (Stanford University ranking)
Dr. Dimitriou Loukas is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cyprus, leading the Laboratory of Transportation Engineering. He holds a PhD from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and has held academic positions at King Saud University and the University of Cyprus. His research focuses on sustainable transportation systems, leveraging AI, big data, and econometrics to optimize transport performance and policy design. He teaches 2 mandatory undergraduate and 5 postgraduate courses in Transport Infrastructure Management. His work spans smart city mobility, micromobility systems, freight transport optimization, and emerging transport technologies. He has secured significant national and EU research funding, reviews for top journals, and participates in international conference committees. Key research areas include: Equity in transit budget allocation Spatiotemporal analysis of shared mobility Electric vehicle policy optimization Data-driven infrastructure maintenance Airport network pandemic control strategies His laboratory develops decision-support frameworks for transport systems, integrating machine learning with traditional engineering methods to address urban mobility challenges.
Assist. Prof. Polyvios Eleftheriou holds a position at the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at Cyprus University of Technology since 2008. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor at Tennessee Tech University (1987-88) and lecturer at HTI-Nicosia (1988-2005). His academic journey includes roles in the Ministry of Interior (2005-2008). He holds a PhD (1987), MS (1984), and BSME (1982) from Tennessee Tech University, alongside a Diploma from HTI (1979). His research focuses on renewable energy systems, particularly solar technology, materials science, and nanotechnology applications. He pioneered work on perovskite solar cells, surface engineering for energy devices, and energy-efficient building design. His work also extends to biomedical engineering, including stent material analysis and inflammatory response studies. Prof. Eleftheriou has extensively contributed to educational technology, developing remote solar energy laboratories for e-learning. Notable projects include the Solar E-Lab platform enabling real-world experimentation over the internet. His publications span over three decades, addressing topics from HVAC fan optimization (1987) to cutting-edge nanomaterials (2021). His work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, blending engineering with environmental and biomedical applications. Current research trends include improving solar cell efficiency through novel materials and advancing sustainable building design in Mediterranean climates.
Prof. Costas N. Papanicolas is an Institute Professor at The Cyprus Institute (CyI) and serves as President Emeritus and CEO of the Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation (CREF). He holds adjunct professorships at the University of Athens, Greece, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. With a B.Sc. and Ph.D. from MIT, he has held roles including Director of the Institute of Accelerating Systems and Applications at the National Technical University of Athens and chaired key committees shaping Cyprus’ educational and research policies. Education: B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Research Interests: Nuclear & Particle Physics, Medical Imaging, Solar Energy, Climate Change Policy, and Educational Policy. His work bridges theoretical physics, medical diagnostics (e.g., SPECT/PET imaging), and renewable energy systems (e.g., CSP technologies like PROTEAS). He has pioneered thermal tomography via neural networks and contributed to solar thermal storage and hybrid energy systems. Awards: Medal of Excellence (Cyprus), Commendatore dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Italy), Fellow of the American Physical Society. Prof. Papanicolas advises the Cypriot government on climate change and led the establishment of the University of Cyprus’s Physical Sciences departments. He directs CyI’s research centers and promotes international collaborations in energy sustainability and cultural heritage preservation.
Adriana Bruggeman is an Associate Professor at the Energy, Environment & Water Research Center (EEWRC) of The Cyprus Institute. Her research focuses on hydrological and environmental process modeling, integrated natural resource management, and climate change adaptation. She holds an MSc in Hydrology and Water Management from Wageningen University (1988) and a PhD in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech (1997). Prior to joining CyI in 2009, she worked as an agricultural hydrologist at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria from 1998–2009, leading projects on sustainable resource management across West Asia and North Africa. Education: MSc in Hydrology and Water Management, Wageningen University, Netherlands (1988) PhD in Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, USA (1997) Professional Experience: Associate Professor, The Cyprus Institute (2009–present) Researcher at ICARDA, Syria (1998–2009) Research Assistant, Virginia Tech (pre-1998) Her research interests include hydrological monitoring, climate change impacts on water resources, agricultural water management, biogeochemistry, and stakeholder-driven solutions for natural resource challenges. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop technologies and policies for sustainable resource use and climate resilience. Her recent work emphasizes ecosystem services assessments, terraced landscape rehabilitation, and high-resolution hydrological modeling. She has contributed to projects on groundwater recharge dynamics, transpiration modeling in Mediterranean forests, and the evaluation of climate models for water resource planning. Key projects include participatory evaluations of water management strategies, UAV-based slope stability analysis, and bias correction of weather radar data. Her work bridges science and policy, with a focus on decision support tools for stakeholders in semi-arid regions. Her research has been supported by grants focusing on climate adaptation, agricultural sustainability, and environmental resilience in the Mediterranean. She mentors interdisciplinary collaborations and contributes to regional policy dialogues on sustainable development.
Panos Hadjinicolaou is an Associate Professor at The Cyprus Institute (CyI) within the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C). His research focuses on global atmospheric chemistry, regional climate modeling, and climate extremes, with a particular emphasis on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. He leads the Climate System Processes (CliSP) group, investigating climate drivers, urban heat islands, and land-atmosphere interactions. Education: BSc in Physics, University of Athens (1993) MSc in Atmospheric Sciences, University of East Anglia (1994) PhD in Atmospheric Modelling, University of Cambridge (2001) Research Interests: Regional climate modeling and dynamical downscaling Indices of climate change extremes (temperature, precipitation) Stratospheric ozone depletion and recovery trends Urban climate dynamics and mitigation strategies Climate impacts on energy demand and agriculture Key Contributions: His work includes evaluating WRF model parameterizations, quantifying urban heat island effects in Nicosia, and analyzing future climate projections for Mediterranean-type regions. He has contributed to EU projects and WMO Ozone Assessments. Lab & Teams: Leads the CliSP group at CARE-C, collaborating with international networks like CORDEX. Active in developing climate adaptation strategies for urban environments.
Hakan Djuma is an Associate Research Scientist at The Cyprus Institute's Energy, Environment and Water Research Centre (EEWRC). He holds a PhD in Environment and Atmospheric Sciences from Cyprus Institute (2012) and an MSc from the University of Amsterdam (2007). His research focuses on sustainable water management in semi-arid regions, soil erosion mitigation, and pollutant dynamics in soils and sediments. Dr. Djuma has extensive experience in geohydrology and environmental engineering, including a year as a geohydrological engineer in the Netherlands. His work integrates field observations with advanced modeling techniques (e.g., Noah-MP, WRF-Hydro) to address climate change impacts, water resource management, and landscape sustainability. He has pioneered studies on terraced landscape rehabilitation, tree water dynamics in drought-prone ecosystems, and sedimentation processes in Mediterranean watersheds. His recent publications emphasize ecohydrological modeling, slope stability analysis in mountain terraces, and the development of smart irrigation strategies. Djuma collaborates internationally on projects related to non-conventional water resources and participatory approaches to environmental management. While no formal awards are listed, his contributions to soil erosion quantification and terrace maintenance methodologies have advanced practical solutions for Mediterranean agricultural sustainability. His research also explores the dual role of afforestation in water resource management and climate adaptation strategies in water-scarce regions.
Panayiotis Papadopoulos is an Associate Research Scientist at The Cyprus Institute (CyI), affiliated with the Energy, Environment & Water Research Center (EEWRC). He holds a PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Cyprus (2020), focusing on distributed monitoring and control frameworks for smart buildings. His research spans control theory, intelligent buildings, and power electronics, with an emphasis on fault diagnosis and energy efficiency. Key projects include the EU H2020 COLLECTiEF initiative, which aims to enhance energy flexibility in buildings through collective intelligence networks. His work integrates digital twin architectures, deep reinforcement learning, and model-based approaches to optimize HVAC systems, power electronics, and grid interactions. He has contributed to sensor fault detection in smart grids and building automation, emphasizing real-time data analysis and adaptive control strategies. Papadopoulos' contributions include over 15 peer-reviewed publications since 2013, focusing on fault-tolerant control, energy management systems, and smart building technologies. His research bridges theoretical control methodologies with practical applications in sustainable infrastructure.
George Pamboris is a Lecturer in Physiotherapy at the Department of Health Sciences, European University Cyprus. He holds a PhD in Sports Health and Exercise Sciences (Biomechanics) from Brunel University, UK, and completed post-doctoral research at the same institution. His research focuses on biomechanical and neuromechanical effects of stretching, muscle function, and rehabilitation techniques in sports and clinical settings. He has contributed to studies on dynamic stretching, shear wave elastography, and neuromuscular performance, with publications in journals like PLoS ONE and Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. Education includes a BSc in Sports Therapy from the University of Bedfordshire (2006-2009), an MSc in Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) from Queen Margaret University (2009-2011), and a PhD in Biomechanics from Brunel University (2013-2018). He served as a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at European University Cyprus (2019-2020) and previously held a part-time Lecturer role at the University of Bedfordshire (2016-2017). His research interests span biomechanics, neuromechanics, and rehabilitation strategies. Notable work includes investigating the acute effects of dynamic stretching on muscle properties and running economy, as well as the role of neurodynamic mobilization techniques. He received the 2019 TOP DOWNLOADED PAPER award from Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports for his contributions to the field. He has participated in international conferences such as the ECSS Congress, presenting on topics like shear wave elastography and sensorimotor performance. His work integrates clinical practice with advanced biomechanical analysis, emphasizing evidence-based approaches to injury prevention and therapeutic interventions.
Pericles Leng Cheng is a Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the European University Cyprus (School of Sciences). He holds a Doctor of Information Technology (Walden University, 2017) and dual M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin (2003 and 2001). His research focuses on robotics applications in education, therapeutic systems, and aspect-oriented software development for embedded systems. He leads Cyprus' participation in international robotics competitions like Robotex and has contributed to EU-funded projects addressing energy efficiency and ubiquitous computing. Education: PhD: Information Technology, Walden University (2017) M.Sc.: Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin (2003) B.Sc.: Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin (2001) Key Contributions: Developed robotic systems for Constraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) in children Advanced remote robotic experimentation platforms for STEM education Authored foundational studies on aspect-oriented programming for real-time embedded systems Professional Roles: Head of Technical Committee for Robotex Cyprus (Cyprus Computer Society) EU Project Researcher (FP6, Horizon 2020, Erasmus+) Academic Consultant for educational robotics competitions His research spans robotics applications across healthcare, education, and industry, with a focus on integrating emerging technologies into practical solutions. Recent work emphasizes autonomous systems in gaming environments and robotics competitions' pedagogical impact. Over 15 years of academic experience includes teaching, curriculum development, and fostering international collaboration in tech education.
