Mr. Alexandros Skondras is a research associate at the Laboratory of Geoinformatics, and a PhD candidate at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He holds a BSc in Architectural Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino (2013) and a MSc in Sustainable Design and Development from the Politecnico di Torino (2016), where he worked as a teaching fellow from 2014 to 2016 in the fields of photogrammetry, BIM and urban design. His research interests focus on the use of UAV for collection, visualization, processing and presentation of spatial information as tools for strategic planning in the fields of urban design and sustainable development. He is also involved in research, management and implementation of National and EU-funded research and innovation projects that deal with sustainable urban and regional development, territorial approach, urban vision and experimentation, sustainable cities and regions.

Mr. Stefanos Α. Nastis is Professor of Agricultural Economic Development. He has vast experience in managing and coordinating Research and Development projects focused on agricultural and rural development with an emphasis on the agri-food sector. His research focuses on the interplay between agricultural and environmental economics focusing on topics such as farm adaptation to climate change, farm efficiency and agricultural productivity analysis, biodiversity, smart circular economy, bioeconomy, innovations in farm planning and farm management, water resources management, and information technologies. He has published in international refereed journals and participated in several national and international projects. He has participated in the organization and scientific committees of several national and international workshops and conferences.

Mrs. Ifigeneia Skalidi holds an M.Sc.Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (5-year degree) from the Engineering Faculty of the University of Thessaly (UTH). She is a PhD candidate and contributes as a research assistant at the Laboratory of Geoinformatics in the Department of Spatial Planning and Development Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she has been an active researcher, assisting with algorithm development of projects and scientific papers, publishing two of the latter. Her main interests include computer vision, machine learning, algorithmic development, bioinformatics, and robotics.

Mr. Asterios Theofilou holds a MSc in ICT, and a BSc in Economics from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is a PhD candidate at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a research associate at the Laboratory of Agricultural Economics. His research interests include machine learning, data warehouse development, big data, and predictive algorithms. He is also involved in research and management of EU-funded research and innovation projects dealing with biodiversity and sustainability.

Mrs. Aikaterini Bakousi holds a diploma in Agricultural Sciences, specializing in Crop Production, and an MSc in Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, both obtained from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and contributes as a research associate at the Laboratory of Geoinformatics in the Department of Spatial Planning and Development Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her expertise encompasses spatial data analysis, GIS software, and Python programming language, contributing to projects focused on sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. Aikaterini has experience in leading co-creation workshops, fostering collaboration and innovation to drive sustainable development. As a Research Associate, she managed and contributed to both EU-Funded and national research and innovation projects, spanning from sustainability and citizen science to entrepreneurship and technology.

Mr. Thomas Mone holds a Diploma in Spatial Planning and Development from the Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Greece, and a Master’s Degree in Governance and Regional Development. His research interests mainly focus on regional development, population geography and demography, data analysis, regional policy and disparities. He is a research assistant at the Laboratory of Geoinformatics in the Department of Spatial Planning and Development Engineering of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Mrs. Zoi-Eirini Tsifodimou holds a MEng in Rural and Surveying Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). She is a postgraduate student in the Spatial Planning for Sustainable and Resilient Development program. Her research interests focus on the applications of cartography, spatial analysis and mainly the visualization of historical information. She deals with 3D documentation of monuments and land surveying applications. She is a member of the research team of the Laboratory of Geoinformatics.

Mr. James Gaffey is a Co-Director of the Circular Bioeconomy Research Group at Munster Technology University. James is PI and Co-PI on over 10 EU- and nationally funded circular bioeconomy research projects including Farm Zero C, Biorefinery Glas, BioAssess, INFOMRBIO, Rural BioReFarmeries and many more. He is co-National Task Leader for International Energy Agency Task 45 understanding the climate and sustainability impacts of bioenergy within the broader bioeconomy. He is a member of the government-appointed Expert Advisory Group to Ireland’s National Bioeconomy Forum and was part of the Expert Panel for the Impact Assessment of Circular Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking successor programme to BBI JU under Horizon EU. James is part of the core programme development team and lecturer on the MSc programme Bioeconomy with Business and is academic collaborator in the SFI BiOrbic Centre. Prior to joining MTU James was based at NUI Galway where he was part of the “Bio-Éire – a Bioeconomy for Ireland” team. The results of Bio-Éire form a key part of the knowledge base used by the Department of the Taoiseach to develop a National Bioeconomy Policy Statement for Ireland. James has worked in the field of advanced biorefining since 2009 through work with Cellulac Ltd., Competence Centre for Biorefining and Bioenergy (NUI Galway), Sustainable Biopolymers Ltd., tcbb RESOURCE, Tralee Institute of Technology and Munster Technological University.

Mr. Robert Ludgate holds an MSc in Bioeconomy and Business (1st) from Munster Technological University and University College Dublin, completing his thesis on ‘A Just Transition in the Bioeconomy for the South-West, An Agricultural Policy Study’, and was awarded the School of STEM Award MTU for outstanding achievement in Bioeconomy May 2022 by Munster Technological University. He also participated in the 2022 EIT Climate-KIC Climate Leadership Journey, an extracurricular challenge-based program that empowers future professionals to become a force in creating a net-zero and climate-resilient world by developing future-oriented skills and capabilities. He has held a position in Regional Bioeconomy Development and Policy for the European Union’s Horizon Europe-funded Mainstream Bio and Robin projects and Interreg North West Europe-funded project, ReNu2Cycle at Munster Technological University. He also previously worked on the Science Foundation Ireland funded project Leaf No Waste at TU Dublin.

Dr. Tracey O’Connor is a researcher and project manager with the Circular Bioeconomy Research Group at Munster Technological University Kerry. She holds a BSc in Agri-Environmental Science from University College Dublin, Ireland (2011), an MSc in Environmental Sciences, specializing in Environmental Policy, from Wageningen University, the Netherlands (2014), and a PhD from the School of Agriculture and Food Science at University College Dublin, Ireland (2020). Tracey is involved in circular bioeconomy research, and the management and implementation of national and EU-Funded projects focused on development and deployment of technologies, business models, and public supports for sustainable food systems and circular bioeconomy.

Mrs. Dragica Grozdanić is a bioeconomy researcher in the Circular Bioeconomy Research Group at Shannon Applied Biotechnology Centre, Munster Technological University in Kerry. She completed a Master's degree in Agroecology at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb (2013), and a Post-graduate Diploma in Pharmaceutical Business and Technology at Griffith College Dublin (2023). She has developed her skill set as an agricultural scientist by further expanding her knowledge in the USA, Israel and Ireland with a special interest in sustainable agricultural practices. Dragica has worked on several R&D projects with an emphasis on enhancing alternative plant protein production in the EU, the development of highly nutritious novel crops and plant-based ingredients on the EU market.

Dr Breda O Dwyer: Head of the Department of Organization and Professional Development at Munster Technological University and Head of the Cantillon Academy @ MTU. She is the author of The ELMS Model – Entrepreneurial Leadership Mindset and promoter of the power of eudaimonic entrepreneurial well-being. Through her work and publications, Breda enables interdisciplinary conversations, learning and research that allow professionals in academia, practice, and public policy to work more efficiently and intuitively alongside each other while optimizing their collaborative social, cultural, economic and sustainable impact. She has evolved Duening’s Five Minds of the Entrepreneurial Future - to Eight – adding the Curious, Empowering and Connecting Mind. Breda believes strongly in the power of conversations, role modelling, storytelling and simply knowing who you are! She practises a policy of learning through life’s experiences and learning to unlearn and relearn as we do. The Cantillon Academy is a global community of entrepreneurially like-minded people who want to release the power of entrepreneurial learning and practice to initiate and lead transformational change in our society and economy. At Cantillon, we connect minds through our different fora, we empower minds through the application of innovative learning practice, and we ignite our curiosity as we explore different research opportunities that allow us to get know the self to reach our optimum potential.

Mrs. Eleni Pappa holds a M.Sc. in Production & Management Engineering (5-year degree) from the Engineering Faculty of Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH). She has an M.Sc. in Strategic Product Design from the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences & Economics of the International Hellenic University (IHU) and completed her Master's Thesis at Kuhne Logistics University (KLU). She also holds an MSc in International Banking & Finance from the Business School of Strathclyde University in Glasgow. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate and contributes as a research assistant at the Laboratory of Forest Economics in the School of Forestry and Natural Environment of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her main research interests include circular economy, climate change mitigation, carbon market, environmental accounting, and life cycle assessment. She is also involved in research, management, and implementation of national and EU-funded research & innovation projects that deal with regional development, territorial approach, blue economy, sustainable cities and regions, responsible research and innovation, and gender equality.

Mrs. Kallitsa Pantazi holds a Law Degree from the Faculty of Social and Economics Sciences of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). She is head of the European Programmes & Synergies Department of the Directorate of Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the Region of Central Macedonia, working in the field of European projects since 2011. She is responsible for European Networks participation, project proposals submission, and project implementation in the framework of EU Programmes (INTERREG cross-border, ADRION, HORIZON 2020, BALKAN MED, INTERREG MED, etc.). Her extensive involvement in research includes participation in over 30 projects funded by national and European resources, with roles ranging from project participant to coordinator in at least 5 of them.

Professor Efstratios Stylianidis is affiliated with the School of Spatial Planning and Development in the Faculty of Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece. He currently serves as the Director of the Laboratory of Geoinformatics. His teaching and research interests encompass Photogrammetry and Geospatial Engineering. From 2019 to 2023, he held the position of Vice-Rector for Research and Lifelong Learning at AUTH through an elected mandate. Prof. Stylianidis has authored two books, contributed to 90 publications in scientific conferences and journals, and written eight book chapters and volumes. Additionally, he has served as the editor of two books. His extensive involvement in research includes participation in 60 projects funded by national and European resources, with roles ranging from project participant to scientific coordinator in 10 of them. As a reviewer, Professor Stylianidis has lent his expertise to 18 scientific journals, and he holds two patents. His academic contributions extend globally, having been a visiting Professor at Columbia University in 2018. He has also delivered invited lectures at prestigious institutions such as Princeton University, UCLA, Imperial University [SHOULD THIS BE Imperial College?], Tsinghua University, and the Getty Conservation Institute. Professor Stylianidis served as the President of CIPA – Heritage Documentation from 2020 to 2023 and currently holds the position of Vice President for the new term.