She STEMs 2024

Athena Vakali is a Professor in the Department of Informatics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Director of the Data Science and Web Laboratory (Datalab), and a scientific co-Founder of the tech startup exanta.io. Her research focuses on the intersection of human-centered Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and she coordinates several EU projects on gender equality and excellence. She has played a key role in major conferences related to gender equality, such as the ACM Gender Equality Summit '22 and ACM WomenCourage '23.

Artemis Hatzigeorgiou is a Professor of Bioinformatics in the Department of Informatics at the University of Thessaly and an affiliated Professor at the Hellenic Pasteur Institute. She studied Informatics at the University of Stuttgart and received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Jena. From 2001 to 2007, she was an Assistant Professor of Bioinformatics at the University of Pennsylvania. Before taking the position of Professor at the University of Thessaly in 2012, she was a researcher at the Fleming Biomedical Sciences Research Center. From 2018 to 2021, she was globally recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher.

Tereza Manousaki is a Senior Researcher (Researcher B') in Evolutionary Genomics and Bioinformatics at the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology, and Aquaculture (IMBBC) of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). Her key appointments include: a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Crete (2006), a Master's degree in Environmental Biology from the University of Crete (2008), a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Konstanz, Germany (2013), a Postdoctoral position at IMBBC, HCMR from 2013 to 2019, followed by her appointment as Researcher C' in Evolutionary Genomics and Bioinformatics in 2019, and then as Researcher B' as of November 2023.

Dr. Androniki Menelaou holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from the University of Oxford. Over the past 15 years, she has applied her expertise in Statistics and Machine Learning to fields such as Genetics, Finance, and Agriculture. Recently, she took on the role of Head of Data Products at Plantix, where she focuses on developing innovative solutions based on plant disease data from around the world.

Dr Genovefa Kefalidou is an Assistant Professor in Human-Computer Interaction at the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Leicester. She has a strong interdisciplinary background, including Computer Science, Systems Engineering, and Psychology. Her research interests include Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics, Cognitive Computing, and user-centered Design.

Dr Katerina Kouravelou holds a degree in Chemical Engineering, a Ph.D. from the University of Patras, and a Master's degree in Materials Science and Technology. She has worked in various positions within the research sector, and six years ago, she transitioned from research to managing research funding through the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.). On April 28, 2022, she assumed the role of Director at H.F.R.I.

Olga works at the multinational company Jacobs in consulting management for large infrastructure projects in the fields of engineering and transportation. Additionally, she serves as a strategic consultant in diversity, equitable accessibility, and inclusion. In this role, she develops tools and guides project teams in programs, organizational culture practices, and collaborations, helping them ensure that their activities and decision-making processes promote a sense of belonging, and consequently, innovation and corporate growth.

Valia Fragkou is the Executive Director of the Athena I. Martinou Foundation. With over 10 years of experience as a Philanthropy Consultant, she has collaborated with charitable foundations, corporations (CSR), and donors to achieve their goals through strategic giving. She has led a philanthropic foundation, where she served as a Board of Directors Consultant for 8 years. She holds a degree in Business Administration, an MBA, and a master's degree in Nonprofit Management.

Maria Chatzidaki is a Chemical Engineer from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), with a master's degree in Biomedical Engineering from Imperial College and a Ph.D. in Nanotechnology from Örebro University in collaboration with the National Research Foundation. She currently works as a postdoctoral researcher and science communicator. Additionally, she is a co-founder of the team www.beconscious.gr, which focuses on science communication to the general public and environmental awareness.

Eri Pavlaki, co-founder/CEO of the NGO “Women Do Business” and “Star Sleep,” holds an M.Sc. in International Law, Diplomacy, and Human Rights. She has received an award as one of the “Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise for 2022” in Europe and an honorary distinction from the Vodafone Foundation for 2021. She has represented Greece at the OECD and presented the case study of Women Do Business to the European Commission.

Dr. Ioanna Leontiou is a Ph.D. scientist from the University of Edinburgh specializing in Molecular and Cellular Biology, with experience in developing innovative biological methods and managing scientific projects. In recent years, she has worked on utilizing digital tools to enhance clinical trials. She is passionate about collaboration, problem-solving, and mentoring young scientists. She has been recognized at international conferences and enjoys participating in activities that make science accessible to the public.

Evangelia Papanikolaou, Ph.D. in Music Therapy, is a trainer in Receptive Music Therapy and the founder of "SONORA- Interdisciplinary Society for Music Therapy and Research." An academic fellow at Aalborg University, with studies in Music Therapy and Clinical Neurosciences, she collaborates with Artez and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She specializes in music therapy for oncology, psychological trauma, perinatal care, the elderly, and women's empowerment.

Aspasia Destouni is a researcher in reproductive genomics, serving as a Scientific Associate at the 3rd Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) and the Scientific Lead for NESTOR (Horizon Europe). She holds a B.Sc. in Genetics (University of Wales, College of Cardiff), an M.Sc. in Molecular Genetics (Imperial College), and a Ph.D. in Medical Genetics from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has been a postdoctoral researcher at KULeuven (Belgium), UPENN, and LSU in the USA. She also founded the digital platform z(AI)gote to promote the intersection of art and science.

Dr Christina Dalla is a Professor of Pharmacology at the 2nd Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic of the Medical School at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), President of the Mediterranean Neuroscience Society, and President of the Hellenic Brain Council. She also coordinates the NKUA Medical School's Gender Equality Committee and is on the board of the Hellenic Association of University Women. Her award-winning research, including the L’Oreal-Unesco award, focuses on the role of gender in neuropsychopharmacology.l

Nikoleta Bizymi holds a Medical Degree with honors and a Master's Degree in the Molecular Basis of Human Diseases (Onassis Foundation scholarship) from the University of Crete. She completed her Ph.D. in Onco-immunology, for which she received the "Maria Michail Manassaki" scholarship for three academic years. She is a member of the College of Experts of the European Respiratory Society and a reviewer of scientific articles and abstracts.

Danae's academic journey includes a Bachelor's degree in Genetics from the University of Glasgow, a Master's in Biomedical Sciences with a PhD in Rheumatology from University College London, and finally, work at the University of Oxford as a Research Fellow in the field of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. After 11 years in England, she returned to Greece to work in the field of clinical trials, starting as a Clinical Research Associate.

Dr. Themis Alissafi graduated and earned her Master's degree from the University of Crete. She completed her Ph.D. in Immunology at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA). She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University in Belgium, the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), and BRFAA. Currently, she is the Scientific Director of the Immunoregulatory Laboratory at BRFAA and an Assistant Professor at the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).

Dimitra Kogidou is a Professor of Psychology in the Department of Primary Education at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) and the Coordinator of the Network of Gender Equality Committees in Higher Education Institutions. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Association of Women in University (ELEGYP). Her interests focus on topics such as gender studies, families and family policies, combating poverty, and social exclusion.

Georgia Antonopoulou is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sustainable Agriculture at the School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Patras, and a Visiting Faculty Member at the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (FORTH/ICE-HT). She holds a Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD in Chemical Engineering. Her research focuses on the design and development of innovative biochemical processes for the treatment and utilization of urban, agricultural, and industrial waste, as well as residual biomass, for the production of biofuels and high value-added bio-products.

Anastasia Zabaniotou is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the School of Engineering of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She worked at the European Commission in Brussels, in the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. She also served as the elected President of the Mediterranean Engineering and Management Schools Network (RMEIM) of Ecole Centrale Marseille, France.

Agapi Mesodiakaki holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and a Ph.D. from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Karlstad University in Sweden. Since 2018, she has been part of the Wireless and Photonics Systems and Networks (WinPhoS) group at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). In recent years, she has also worked as adjunct teaching staff at the International Hellenic University.

Katerina holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and is a Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). Since 2021, she has been the Director of the Laboratory of Building Construction and Building Physics, and since September 2022, she has been the Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering. Her scientific work focuses on building construction, building physics, the energy and environmental performance of buildings, and sustainability in the built environment.

Dr Konstantina Kanari began her academic journey in the Department of Chemistry at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, continued with a Master's in Nanosciences at the same university, and completed her PhD at the University of Bristol in England, in the field of Advanced Materials. She now works as an Advanced Research Engineer at the National Composites Centre in the UK, conducting research on composite materials.

Dr. Eleni Vardoulaki is an Astrophysicist at the Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications, and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens, holding a PhD from the University of Oxford. She has worked at six international institutes as a postdoctoral researcher (2010-2024). She is also a science communicator, actively engaging in outreach in both Greek and English since 2005, delivering public talks through various media and international organizations, including TED.

Dr E.M. Pechlivani, a Researcher B' at the Informatics Institute of CERTH, has led over 28 research projects, is the coordinator of the European PestNu and E-SPFdigit projects, and is responsible for 6 national projects. Her scientific and research contributions in Additive Manufacturing and Intelligent Systems are reflected in 11 patents, 52 publications, and over 100 presentations of research findings at international conference proceedings.

Niki Soroga holds a PhD in Solid-State Physics (AUTH), a Master's in Physics and Materials Technology, and a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. She works as a Senior Computerized System Validation & Process Analytical Technologies Consultant at Amalia Technologies (Life Sciences). As a mentor at GWiS, she promotes women's empowerment. She also has extensive experience in IT, Marketing, Project Management, and the Cultural Industry (Greece, abroad).

Rafaela Konstantinidi works as a Scientist - Researcher at AstraZeneca in Cambridge, UK, specializing in research and development in the fields of Respiratory and Immunology. She holds a PhD in Clinical Medicine from Imperial College London, where she also earned a Master's in Innovative Therapies: Genes, Drugs, and Stem Cells. Her academic journey began with a degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Sheffield.

Associate Professor of Immunology at the European University Cyprus. She holds a degree in Biology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a PhD in Autoimmunity from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), and a Master's in Clinical Biochemistry-Molecular Diagnostics (NKUA). Her research focuses on autoimmunity and cancer immunology. She coordinates the Master's program "Cancer Biology" at the European University Cyprus, is a member of the Senate, and serves on the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee.

Maria is a Postdoctoral fellow at Brown University and a Researcher at EPOS-IASIS. She holds a PhD in Developmental Neurobiology (University of Pittsburgh) and has extensive research experience in Neuroscience, Molecular, and Cancer Biology (Harvard Medical School, Brown University, UCY). She is the Chair of the Research Committee of the Biological Society of Cyprus and organizer of the "Excellence in Biology" lecture series and the CyBioS scientific conference.

Aspasia is a doctoral researcher at the Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. She completed her undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and holds a Master's (MRes) in Turbomachinery Design. Her research focuses on designing aircraft propulsion engines, aiming to contribute to a more sustainable future for the aviation industry through her work.

Georgia Gkioka is a researcher at the Information Management Unit of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and a PhD candidate specializing in machine learning for intelligent transportation systems. A graduate of NTUA's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, she has worked for major organizations and companies such as CERN, NOKIA, and the Secretariat of the Council of the EU, with experience in software development and research projects.

Eleni Ilkou was born and raised in Thessaloniki. A top high school graduate, she received an award from the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) for her admission to the Department of Mathematics at the University of Ioannina. Through an Erasmus scholarship, she taught at the Greek School of Brussels. She completed a Master's in Applied Informatics at the Free University of Brussels, Belgium. Today, she is a PhD researcher at the L3S Research Center at the University of Hanover in Germany.

Graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (1983), with a Master's in French as a second foreign language (University of Artois Arras, France). With 35 years as a French teacher, she served as Environmental Officer in Athens' secondary education (2010-2022). She has 20 years’ experience in COMENIUS, YOUTH IN ACTION, and ERASMUS+ YOUTH programs and is a volunteer representative of Young Active Eurocitizens and advisor for R.E.A.L Science.

Dr Iro Koliakou, Head of STEAM at Anatolia College, holds a PhD in Biology, an MSc in Biomedical Technology, and a degree in Physics. She coordinates science and technology educational activities for students of all ages, promotes open programs for everyone, and encourages girls' participation in STEM. As a mentor, she supports student teams and women in STEM fields.

Forester - Environmental Scientist, with a Master's in Sustainable Management of Forest and Natural Ecosystems. She has experience in environmental research and management projects, as well as in team coordination. An active member of the student community, she is involved in environmental education and awareness.

She is a geologist with an MSc in Environmental Protection. Focusing on sustainable development, she promotes educational tourism for preserving natural and cultural heritage through social service programs. She has completed extensive training in inquiry-based learning in education. Additionally, she specializes in the application of new technologies for the prevention, management, and restoration of natural disasters. She is a member of the Greek Rescue Team, Disaster Response Department.

Biologist (AUTH). She workw as a quality consultant in the healthcare sector. Previously, she participated in research activities in embryology through the Medical School of AUTH and in proteomics at the University of Antwerp. She has worked in a Molecular Biology laboratory (cytogenetics) and completed a teaching internship in secondary education to gain my teaching qualification.