Stelios Timotheou is an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and faculty member at the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence, University of Cyprus. He holds a Dipl-Ing from National Technical University of Athens, and MSc/PhD from Imperial College London. His research focuses on developing real-time distributed methodologies using mathematical optimization, machine learning, and computational intelligence to enhance efficiency in critical infrastructure systems. Research interests center on data-driven decision making for urban mobility management, traffic control systems, and energy optimization. Key areas include: Intelligent UAV-based sensing for traffic monitoring Cooperative control algorithms for multi-agent systems Optimization of renewable energy integration Robust infrastructure protection strategies Recent publications demonstrate strong focus on traffic state estimation (76%), energy system optimization (16%), and UAV applications (8%). Awarded the Cyprus Research Award (2017) and ERC Consolidator Grant for URANUS project. Secured multiple research grants focusing on real-time control systems.
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.
Marios Polycarpou is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus. He holds honorary positions at Imperial College London and is a member of Academia Europaea. His expertise spans intelligent systems, adaptive control, machine learning, and critical infrastructure. Education: B.A. Computer Science (Rice University, 1987) B.Sc. Electrical Engineering (Rice University, 1987) M.S. Electrical Engineering (University of Southern California, 1989) Ph.D. Electrical Engineering (University of Southern California, 1992) Research Focus: Polycarpou’s work emphasizes fault diagnosis in cyber-physical systems, water distribution networks, and adaptive control. He pioneers digital twin technologies for infrastructure resilience and develops algorithms for real-time anomaly detection and system optimization. Article Trends: His recent publications address adaptive control strategies, cybersecurity in networked systems, and AI-driven solutions for water management. Key themes include distributed control, event-triggered mechanisms, and transformer-based anomaly localization. Awards: 2023 IEEE Frank Rosenblatt Technical Field Award 2016 IEEE Neural Networks Pioneer Award Fellow of IEEE and IFAC Grants & Leadership: He secured prestigious grants including ERC Advanced and Synergy Grants. He led KIOS CoE’s Horizon 2020 projects and served as IEEE Computational Intelligence Society President (2012–2013). Labs & Teams: Directs the KIOS CoE, a hub for AI in critical infrastructure. Collaborates on projects like ERC Water-Futures, focusing on long-term water system transitions and contamination mitigation.
Panayiotis Kolios is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, University of Cyprus (UCY). Previously, he served as a Research Assistant Professor at the KIOS Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence (2013–2024) and a Visiting Lecturer at UCY. He holds a BEng and PhD in Telecommunications Engineering from King’s College London (2008 and 2012, respectively). His research focuses on networked intelligent systems, emergency management using AI and UAV technologies, and cyber-physical systems. Education: BEng in Telecommunications Engineering, King’s College London, 2008 PhD in Telecommunications Engineering, King’s College London, 2012 Research Interests: His work centers on autonomous systems, intelligent transportation, and emergency management. Key areas include AI-driven disaster response, UAV-based surveillance, and algorithmic optimization for critical infrastructure. He develops solutions for real-time situational awareness and decision-support in emergencies. Recent work trends show a focus on multi-UAV coordination, disaster management platforms (like AIDERS), and AI applications in emergency response. His team’s 2023 win in the Cooperative Aerial Robots Inspection Challenge highlights advancements in UAV inspection algorithms. Scientific Awards: First Prize in Cooperative Aerial Robots Inspection Challenge (CDC 2023) Grants and Advising: He has secured over €40 million in EU and industrial grants, leading projects like PREDICATE, SWIFTERS, and AIDERS. His team advises on emergency response strategies and has trained first responders through EU-funded programs such as the Exchange of Experts training. Labs and Teams: He leads the Security and Emergency Response Group at KIOS CoE and established the Cyprus Civil Defence Aerial Observation Unit. His team collaborates with institutions like the Cyprus Police and Fire Service to operationalize UAV technologies in disaster scenarios.
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.
Christos Nicolaides is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Business and Public Administration within the School of Economics and Management at the University of Cyprus (UCY), holding a secondary appointment as a Digital Fellow at MIT's Initiative on the Digital Economy. Previously, he spent three years as a James McDonnell Foundation-funded Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT Sloan School of Management. His educational background includes a PhD in Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2014), SM from MIT (2011), MSc in Applied Mathematics from Imperial College London (2009), and BSc in Physics from University of Thessaloniki (2008). Nicolaides' research applies mathematical, statistical, and computational tools to large-scale empirical questions in social influence mediated by digital technologies. His work spans Data Science , Machine Learning , Social Networks , and Computational Social Science , with significant contributions to understanding human mobility patterns, disease transmission dynamics, and social contagion effects. His research has established novel methodologies for analyzing complex network structures in mobility data and social interactions. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on applying network science to real-world problems, particularly in pandemic response (12 publications), human mobility analytics (9 publications), and social contagion dynamics (7 publications). His work demonstrates increasing interdisciplinary integration, combining computer science, epidemiology, and organizational behavior since 2020. Marie S. Curie Fellow Two Highly Cited Papers by Web of Science (2017, 2020) Best Paper Award by Risk Analysis Society (2019) Professor of The Week by Poets & Quants (2020) As principal institutional investigator, Nicolaides has secured over €1 million in research funding from the European Commission, industry partners, Cyprus Innovation and Research Foundation, and Cyprus Ministry of Health. His current teaching includes Social Networks and Entrepreneurship, Introduction to Operations Management, and Quantitative Methods in Management. Media coverage of his work spans major outlets including The New York Times, CNN, Nature, and Science, with significant impact on public health policy discussions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Evelina Charidemou is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Cyprus. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelor's degree (Honors) from Imperial College London, where she earned the Royal College of Science Associateship (ARCS). Her research focuses on developing metabolomics and lipidomics tools to investigate metabolic syndrome, particularly Type II diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, using high-performance liquid chromatography and multivariate bioinformatics. Specialties: Nutritional Biochemistry, Metabolism, Histone Acetylation Collaborations: University of Oxford, University of Aarhus, Imperial College London Leadership: President of Cyprus Metabolomic Network Key Awards: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship, Best Presentation (Metabolomics Sardinian Scientific School) Her work has been published in high-impact journals including Trends in Biochemical Sciences , EMBO Journal , and Hepatology , with a focus on the interplay between epigenetic mechanisms and metabolic diseases. She actively presents at international conferences such as the Metabolomics Society meetings and contributes to the International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology.
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.
Angelos Georghiou is an Associate Professor of Operations Management at the Department of Business and Public Administration, University of Cyprus. He previously held academic positions as Assistant Professor at McGill University (2016–2019), Post-Doctoral Researcher at MIT (2012–2013), and Postdoctoral Researcher at ETH Zurich (2013–2016). His work bridges computational methods in stochastic and robust optimization with applications in healthcare, energy systems, and operations management. Ph.D. in Operations Research, Imperial College London (2012) M.Sci. in Mathematics, Imperial College London (2008) His research focuses on stochastic optimization , robust optimization , and decision rules , addressing challenges in healthcare analytics , energy-efficient control systems , and machine learning integration . Recent publications in Management Science and Operations Research highlight his contributions to decision-dependent information discovery and computational frameworks. Key trends in his 15 most recent articles include: Advancing robust optimization techniques for multistage problems Applications in healthcare (psychiatric risk prediction) and energy systems Integration of machine learning with stochastic programming Development of tractable algorithms for complex decision environments Scientific Awards : Esdras-Minville Best Student Paper Award (2023) He serves on editorial boards of Operations Research Letters (Area Editor) and Management Science , and collaborates with institutions like MIT, ETH Zurich, and McGill University. His work with undergraduate students includes a 2021 paper in SIAM Undergraduate Research Online .
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.
Klitos Christodoulou is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Digital Innovation at the University of Nicosia (UNIC), affiliated with the School of Business. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Manchester (2014), along with a BSc and MSc in Computer Science from the same institution. His research focuses on Distributed Ledger Technologies, Blockchain, Machine Learning, and Data Integration. He is a research faculty member at UNIC's Institute For the Future (IFF) since 2018 and actively contributes to ISO/TC 307 standards for Blockchain. Christodoulou has led projects like the Ripple grant and participated in EU initiatives such as EUNOMIA and DLT4ALL. He teaches blockchain courses in UNIC's MSc in Digital Currency program and serves on editorial boards, including Frontiers in Blockchain. His work explores blockchain governance, consensus algorithms, and ethical applications in supply chains. Education: BSc in Computer Science, University of Manchester (2006–2009) MSc in Advanced Computer Science, University of Manchester (2009–2010) PhD in Computer Science, University of Manchester (2010–2014) Research Interests: Blockchain and DLT architectures Machine Learning applications in finance and security Decentralized governance models Blockchain adoption frameworks Awards/Grants: Principal Investigator of the Ripple grant; EU-funded projects (EUNOMIA, DLT4ALL); contributor to Cyprus National Blockchain Strategy. Labs/Teams: Institute For the Future (IFF), University of Nicosia
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.
Dr. Andria Procopiou is a Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity at the University of Central Lancashire Cyprus, serving as Course Leader for the MSc Computing program and Deputy Course Leader for the MSc Cybersecurity. She holds a PhD in Computer Science (City, University of London, 2022), an MSc in Human-Computer Interaction (University College London, 2014), and a BSc in Computer Science (University of Surrey, 2013). Her research spans AI applications in sports analytics, cybersecurity for smart cities/IoT, hate speech detection, and metaverse safety. She has led modules in User Experience Design, Penetration Testing, and Cybersecurity. Research interests include AI-driven solutions for sports injury prediction, real-time DDoS detection in IoT networks, and ethical challenges in the metaverse. Her work emphasizes explainable AI (XAI) for transparency in decision-making systems. She has published extensively in journals like Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing and conferences such as IEEE CYBER and the International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. Education: PhD Computer Science (City University London), MSc HCI (UCL), BSc Computer Science (University of Surrey) Key Roles: Course Leader (MSc Computing), Deputy Course Leader (MSc Cybersecurity) Administrative Contributions: Module leadership in AI, Cybersecurity, and Digital Forensics Her recent publications address critical issues like privacy concerns in smart campuses, gender-based hate speech in virtual spaces, and injury patterns in professional football using data analytics. She collaborates with industry on IoT security solutions and metaverse governance frameworks.
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.
Michalis Michaelides is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics at the Cyprus University of Technology , where he has held a tenure-track position since 2012. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cyprus (2009), and earlier degrees from Purdue University (MSEE, 1998; BSEE, 1997). His research focuses on communication systems, wireless sensor networks, environmental monitoring, and computational intelligence applications in maritime logistics and smart infrastructure. He received the Elsevier Building and Environment Journal Best Paper Award in 2014. His work spans smart port operations , IoT integration , and data-driven environmental modeling . Recent publications address berth allocation optimization, vessel arrival prediction, CO2-based virus transmission risk analysis, and AI-driven maritime terminal management. His interdisciplinary approach combines signal processing, optimization algorithms, and sensor networks to solve challenges in transportation, environmental sustainability, and public health. Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering, University of Cyprus (2009) MSEE, Purdue University (1998) BSEE, Purdue University (1997) Awards: Elsevier Building and Environment Journal Best Paper Award (2014) His research group collaborates on projects like intelligent irrigation systems and coastal eutrophication analysis , leveraging computational intelligence for real-world applications. Ongoing work emphasizes port efficiency, sensor network reliability, and decision support systems for maritime logistics.
