Prof. Bahire Efe Özad is a Professor in the Department of Television and Film Studies at Eastern Mediterranean University's Faculty of Communication and Media Studies. She holds a PhD and multiple master's degrees in education and English language teaching. Her research focuses on media studies, social media impact, communication theory, environmental sociology, cinema analysis, and intercultural communication. She has supervised over 80 PhD and Master's theses, reflecting her extensive academic mentorship. Her notable works include analyses of sacred defense cinema, pandemic governance in Northern Cyprus, and systematic reviews on fake news scholarship. She has conducted impactful studies on marital sustainability during the pandemic, Nigerian election media framing, and digital natives' social media use. Her research spans diverse areas including ICT's environmental impact, romantic relationship dynamics, and blog reader engagement. Prof. Özad has led projects like analyzing communication barriers for African students and exploring original scores in film. She maintains an active academic presence through Google Scholar and has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed journals. Her teaching and research activities emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to media, communication, and social dynamics.
Professor Ioannis Katakis is a Faculty Member at the University of Nicosia, where he is affiliated with the School of Sciences and Engineering and the Department of Computer Science. He has held various academic positions across multiple institutions including Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Cyprus, Cyprus University of Technology, Open University of Cyprus, Hellenic Open University, Athens University of Economics and Business, and National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. His educational background includes a PhD in Machine Learning for Automated Text Classification (2005-2009), a Master's in Information Systems (2005-2007), and a Bachelor's in Computer Science (2000-2004), all from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Professor Katakis specializes in several cutting-edge areas of computer science and data analysis. His primary research interests include Mining Social, Web and Urban Data , Sentiment Analysis and Opinion Mining , Data Streams , and Multi-label Learning . His work bridges theoretical machine learning approaches with practical applications in social media analysis, healthcare informatics, privacy protection, and smart city technologies. He has published extensively in top venues including CIKM, ECML/PKDD, IEEE TKDE, and ECAI. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward applying machine learning techniques to real-world problems with societal impact. He has focused on areas such as GDPR compliance in smart devices, sentiment analysis in crowd-sourced content, healthcare applications including drug reaction classification and brain disease monitoring, and privacy protection in wearable technologies. His work often involves multi-modal data analysis and addresses challenges in data streams and multi-label classification. Professor Katakis has made significant contributions to his field, with his research cited over 4,200 times. He serves as an Editor for the journal Information Systems and has edited four special issues in journals such as DAMI and InfSys. He regularly contributes to the academic community by serving on program committees for major conferences including ECML/PKDD, WSDM, DEBS, and IJCAI, and by reviewing for prestigious journals like TPAMI, DMKD, TKDE, TKDD, JMLR, TWEB, and ML. He has been actively involved in European research projects, notably serving as Quality Assurance Coordinator and Senior Researcher for projects such as VAVEL (www.vavel-project.eu) and INSIGHT (www.insight-ict.eu). His grant activities demonstrate a strong focus on collaborative, interdisciplinary research with practical applications in urban data management, social media analysis, and healthcare informatics. He has organized three workshops at major conferences (ICML, ECML/PKDD, EDBT/ICDT) and has extensive experience translating research into practical applications through his involvement in European projects.
Martin Hinterberger is Professor of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Cyprus since 2002. He holds MA and PhD degrees from the University of Vienna and served as research fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (1995-2001). He has taught at the University of Vienna, Freie Universitaet Berlin, and EHESS Paris. Specializes in emotions in Byzantine literature Expert in Byzantine hagiography and theoretical approaches Focus on language analysis (learned vs vernacular) Collaborator on the bibliography of the Byzantinische Zeitschrift His recent publications explore the synthetic perfect tense in Byzantine Greek, hagiographic metaphrasis, and emotional expressions in literature. He co-edited volumes on Byzantine-Latin intellectual history and serves as a leading voice in Byzantine philology.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yıltan Bitirim is a faculty member at the Computer Engineering Department of Eastern Mediterranean University in North Cyprus. With over two decades of academic experience, he has served in various roles including Vice Chair (2014-2022), Academic Affairs Coordinator (2025-), and committee member for ABET assessment, curriculum development, and faculty recruitment. Current academic rank: Associate Professor Active administrative roles: Senate Member (2023-), Information Technology Commission Member (2023-) Professional memberships: ACM, IEEE Senior Member, Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Computer Engineers Research Interests focus on four primary areas: Information Retrieval Systems – evaluating search engine effectiveness and reverse image search performance Machine Learning – applied to emotion classification, gender recognition, and medical diagnosis Data Mining – used in Turkish word-stemming analysis and user behavior studies Biometrics – specializing in hand/wrist/palm vein recognition systems and voice-based identification Publications demonstrate consistent contributions across disciplines, with recent works (2023-2025) emphasizing: Deep learning applications in biometric authentication Advanced emotion recognition systems Medical AI for diabetes management and retinopathy diagnosis Biometric spoof detection mechanisms Turkish language processing challenges Recommendation system innovations Awards & Recognition : Research Incentive Awards (2020, 2021) Best Paper Award at ICIW 2007 IEEE Senior Member status As an educator, he has supervised numerous thesis committees and taught foundational courses in computer engineering, including CMPE 112 and CMPE 342. His certifications (MCTS, MCITP) reflect technical expertise in Microsoft technologies.
Michael Sirivianos is an Associate Professor at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), where he serves as Dean of the School of Engineering and Technology. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from Duke University (2010) and leads research in cybersecurity, disinformation detection, and social media analysis. He coordinates multiple EU-funded projects including ReCRED (Horizon 2020) and ENCASE (Marie Curie RISE), securing over €3M in research funding. Research Focus His work spans: Cybersafety : Detection of cyberbullying, hate speech, and inappropriate content targeting children Trust Systems : Device-centric authentication and blockchain applications Disinformation Analysis : Graph-based detection of fake news and state-sponsored manipulation Scalable Systems : Distributed databases and network infrastructure Achievements & Recognition Best Paper Award (2019) for work on state-sponsored disinformation Distinguished Paper (2018) for fringe web community analysis Spotlight Session recognition (2020) for child protection research Featured in NYT, Washington Post, and Wired for YouTube content analysis Leadership Co-directs the Network Systems Research Lab, serves on the Board of CYENS Centre of Excellence, and coordinates the Fact-check Cyprus Centre against Disinformation.
Professor Angelika Kokkinaki is Dean of the School of Business and MBA Director at the University of Nicosia. With a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1995), a M.Sc. from Northeastern University (1991), and a Diploma from Patras University (1987), her academic credentials are rooted in Information Systems and Computer Science. PhD in Computer Science (1995), University of Louisiana at Lafayette M.Sc. in Computer Science (1991), Northeastern University Diploma in Computer Engineering and Informatics (1987), University of Patras Her research spans e-business, e-government, e-learning, and smart city technologies, focusing on semantic search engines, distributed systems, and circular economy applications. Recent work emphasizes Smart Cities through projects like OpenDCO, CRISIS, and DEVOPS. Key article trends include smart city resilience, AI applications in education, e-learning adoption, marine sensor networks, and open data workforce development. Her scholarly output aligns with 6 UN Sustainable Development Goals , particularly in education, sustainability, and urban innovation. Scientific Awards : Innovation award by the Republic of Cyprus (for quality management system) She leads over 30 EU/national projects and contributes to the Center of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (CEDI) and OECD policy monitoring. Her work integrates Petri Net modeling , software agent systems, and 100+ publications in information systems.
Prof. Dr. Fadi AL-TURJMAN serves as the founding Dean of the Faculty of AI and Informatics at Near East University (NEU), Cyprus. He holds multiple leadership roles including Head of the Software Engineering Department and Director of the AI and Robotics Institute and the International Research Center for AI and IoT. With a PhD in Computer Science from Queen’s University (2011), he specializes in AIoT systems, wireless networks, and blockchain integration. Affiliation: Near East University Leadership: Founding Dean for AI and Informatics, Director of AI & Robotics Institute Research Focus: His work bridges Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) , Blockchain Applications , and Smart Networking . He explores cybersecurity frameworks for smart cities, quantum state optimization techniques, and novel AI-driven solutions for healthcare, agriculture, and energy systems. Key Article Trends: Recent publications emphasize Transformer models for environmental monitoring, blockchain-enabled security protocols , and evolutionary algorithms for resource optimization. His research spans interdisciplinary domains including medical diagnostics, vehicular networks, and sustainable infrastructure. Scientific Awards: Lifetime Golden Award of Dr. Suat Gunsel (2022) Multiple Best Research Awards at International Venues Labs & Teams: Directs the International Research Center for AI and IoT at NEU, leading multidisciplinary teams in developing advanced networking technologies and AI-driven solutions for global value chain applications.
Valeria Filippou is a Researcher at the Computation-based Science & Technology Research Center (CaSToRC) within The Cyprus Institute. She holds an MEng in Medical Engineering, an MSc in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, and a PhD in Medical Engineering with a focus on Machine Learning, Signal Processing, and Wearable Technologies from the University of Leeds. Her research spans interdisciplinary applications of AI in healthcare, financial services, and environmental monitoring. Key areas include developing credit risk models, medical diagnostics algorithms, AI-driven data privacy solutions, and consulting on large language models (LLMs) and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems. Her recent publications focus on wearable sensor data analysis for activity recognition, multimodal prediction of psychological conditions like alexithymia, and advancements in medical imaging phantoms via 3D printing. These works bridge computational methods with practical healthcare and environmental monitoring challenges. No scientific awards or grant details are explicitly stated in the provided information.
Evdokia Pittas is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Education, University of Nicosia. She holds a DPhil in Education from the University of Oxford, with research focusing on special educational needs, dyslexia, language disorders, and literacy development. Her work emphasizes experimental studies in educational interventions and assessments, including contributions to the COST Action CLILNetLE as a Management Committee member. She has edited a Special Issue on post-COVID-19 effects on students with developmental disabilities. Education: PhD in Education (University of Oxford, 2012) MSc in Special Educational Needs (Brunel University London, 2005) Bachelor in Philosophy, Pedagogy & Psychology (National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 2004) Research Interests: Evdokia’s research spans morphological awareness in literacy, bidialectal language effects, psychometric measurement, and inclusive education strategies. She explores how phonological, morphological, and dialectal awareness influence reading/spelling development, particularly in children with learning difficulties. Recent Trends in Publications: Her recent work addresses post-pandemic educational challenges for students with disabilities, CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) outcomes in lesser-taught languages, and the role of technology in inclusive education. She systematically reviews systemic impacts of the pandemic on educational performance and advocates for evidence-based pedagogical strategies. Labs/Teams: Collaborates within international networks like CLILNetLE and leads research on literacy interventions through her academic roles at the University of Nicosia.
Dr. Michael Georgiades is an Assistant Professor at Neapolis University of Pafos, specializing in computer networks. He holds a BEng (First Class Honours) from King’s College London, an MSc from University College London, and a PhD from the University of Surrey. His career includes roles as R&D Manager at Primetel PLC, Research Fellow at the Centre of Communication Systems Research (CCSR), and Systems Development Engineer at INSIG Ltd. He has contributed to EU-funded ICT projects, holds patents, and authored IETF standards. His research focuses on Tactile Internet, Mobile Edge Computing, Vehicular Networks, IoT, and Edge Intelligence. Research Interests: Tactile Internet Mobile Edge Computing Vehicular Networks IoT Edge Intelligence Awards: Nokia Prize for Research Excellence Primetel Awards for Excellence EPSRC and British Council Studentships Publications span cutting-edge topics like adversarial ML attacks on IoT networks, cryptocurrency market analysis, and satellite-backhauled 5G systems. His work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in healthcare, agriculture, and transportation systems.
Marina Rodosthenous-Balafa is an Associate Professor of Modern Greek Literature and Teaching Literature at the University of Nicosia, serving as Head of the Department of Education. She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, with research focused on Greek Renaissance Literature, Petrarchism, and Cultural Literacy. Her work bridges literary analysis with educational practice, emphasizing multimodal texts and cultural diversity. Education: BA (Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies) University of Cyprus; MA (Modern Greek Studies) King’s College London; PhD (Early Modern Greek Literature) University of Cambridge. Research interests include Greek Renaissance literature, comparative literature, and pedagogical approaches to teaching literature across ages. Notable projects include the DIALLS initiative promoting cultural literacy through dialogue and the PIVOT project on inclusive education. She has authored/co-authored over 48 publications, including studies on Cypriot Renaissance poetry and wordless picturebooks. Her articles explore themes like visual literacy in children’s books, paradox in Cretan literature, and the intersection of art and poetry in works like Erotokritos . She actively contributes to academic societies such as the Hellenic Open University and the Renaissance Society of America.
George Pallis is a Professor in the Department of Informatics at the University of Cyprus, affiliated with the School of Science. He holds a BSc and PhD from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His research focuses on Distributed and Network Computing, Big Data Analytics, and Cloud/Edge/Fog Computing. He leads the Master's Program in Data Science and has secured over €5.5M in research funding from the EU, Cyprus, and industry partners like Google. Education: BSc (2001), PhD (2006) from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Research Interests include Internet technologies, large-scale network environments, and cloud computing. He has published over 100 articles in top-tier journals and conferences (e.g., IEEE TKDE, ACM TOIT, WWW, ICDCS) and contributed to international standards (DIN, CEN). His work spans topics like fake news detection, edge computing frameworks, and energy-efficient micro-data centers. Key Achievements: Editor-in-Chief Emeritus of IEEE Internet Computing, recipient of multiple best paper awards, and contributor to projects like RAINBOW (H2020), UNICORN, and ICARUS. His research explores cutting-edge areas such as LLM manipulation, polarization detection, and carbon-aware computing. He has supervised five PhD students and served as General Chair for IEEE/ACM SEC 2024 and IEEE IC2E 2024. His work bridges academia and industry through collaborations on AI, IoT, and sustainable computing.
Yannis Dimopoulos is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Cyprus. He has previously held research positions at the Max-Planck Institute for Computer Science in Saarbrücken and the University of Freiburg in Germany. He earned his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Athens University of Economics and Business. His primary research interests include: Knowledge representation and reasoning Planning Nonmonotonic reasoning Constraint satisfaction Machine learning His recent research, based on publications from 2017 to 2024, focuses on the theoretical and computational aspects of abstract argumentation, particularly control argumentation frameworks, probabilistic extensions, and the integration of argumentation with Boolean networks and negotiation under incomplete information. He has also contributed significantly to Answer Set Programming (ASP) for planning, developing the plasp 3 framework for effective ASP-based planning solutions. His scholarly work appears in top-tier venues such as AAAI, IJCAI, ECAI, KR, AAMAS, and journals like Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. His most frequent collaborators include Pavlos Moraitis, Jean-Guy Mailly, Antonis C. Kakas, and Wolfgang Dvorák. No scientific awards or honors are mentioned in the provided text. Yannis Dimopoulos has advised or collaborated with several researchers, including Jean-Guy Mailly, Pavlos Moraitis, Nabila Hadidi, and Muhammad Adnan Hashmi, though formal student-advisor relationships are not explicitly detailed. His work often involves theoretical and computational modeling, and while specific grants or funding sources are not listed, his sustained publication record suggests active research support. He is actively involved in research teams and collaborations focused on argumentation, multi-agent systems, and automated reasoning, as evidenced by his extensive co-authorship network.
Constantinos S. Pattichis is a Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre at the University of Cyprus. He also leads the HealthXR Group at CYENS Centre of Excellence and serves as a technical leader on high-impact EU-funded projects, including the EU Digital Covid Certificate Platform and the national eHealth4U initiative. His research focuses on eHealth, mHealth, medical imaging, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. **Education**: Ph.D., Electronic Engineering, University of London (1992) MSc, Neurology, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne (1991) MSc, Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (1984) BSc, Electrical Engineering, University of New Brunswick (1983) Technician Engineer, Higher Technical Institute, Cyprus (1979) **Research Interests**: eHealth systems, mHealth interventions using Extended Reality (XR), medical image analysis (MRI, ultrasound), biosignal analysis, and explainable AI for clinical decision support. His work addresses challenges in stroke risk assessment, multiple sclerosis progression, and telemedicine accessibility. **Awards & Roles**: Fellow of IEEE, IET, IAMBE, and EAMBES. He has managed over €20M in EU grants, edited multiple books on mHealth and biomedical imaging, and serves on editorial boards of journals like IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics. He has published ~409 peer-reviewed works (150 journals, 259 conferences) with an h-index of 54. **Grants & Projects**: Led projects such as the EU Digital Covid Certificate Platform, eHealth4U (national eHealth ecosystem), and the IPMT Excellence Centre. Active in standardizing cross-border eHealth services via EU CEF programs. **Labs & Teams**: Directs the eHealth Lab at the University of Cyprus and collaborates with CYENS on HealthXR innovations. His work includes developing VR tools for dementia care, teleconsultation apps, and AI-driven diagnostic systems.
Vasos Vassiliou is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Cyprus and Founding Academic Member & Research Group Leader at the Smart Networked Systems (SNS) Multidisciplinary Research Group within the CYENS Research Center. His work focuses on systems and protocols for improving network performance, reliability, and security in next-generation communication systems (5G/6G), with a strong emphasis on distributed AI/ML techniques, device-to-device (D2D) networking, IoT security, programmable metasurfaces, and intelligent network resource management. Department of Computer Science, University of Cyprus CYENS Research Center, Cyprus His research spans multiple subfields including D2D communication (interference management, device discovery), IoT security (blockchain solutions, intrusion detection), network optimization (traffic prediction, power management), and programmable metasurfaces for advanced beam steering. Recent projects like ERMIS (3D Indoor Positioning), ADROIT-6G (DAI-driven architecture), and METACITIES (digital twins/metaverse) demonstrate his leadership in cutting-edge research. His publications reveal a strong focus on distributed intelligence , machine learning applications , and security protocols across wireless systems. He has supervised multiple PhD students to completion and actively contributes to IEEE/ACM as Senior Member. IEEE Senior Member ACM Senior Member Teaching responsibilities include core courses like Computer Networks and specialized postgraduate modules on IoT Networks .
