The Cyprus Institute

The Cyprus Institute (CyI) is strengthening its international footprint, announcing its intention to establish a non-profit foundation in the United States, with the aim of funding joint research programs between CyI and leading US research institutions.

 

The official launch of the initiative took place in New York, in collaboration with the Federation of Cypriot Organizations of America, in the presence of members of the academic community, the diaspora, Cypriot organizations, the Church, and the business world. The event was welcomed by former US Secretary of Energy Professor Ernest Moniz, former President of the University of Southern California, Professor Chrysostomos Loizos or Max Nikias, and former President of the University of South Carolina, Professor Harris Pastides, who all praised the role and the potential of CyI as an emerging institution of excellence with global reach.

 

The announcement took place during the recent visit of the President of The Cyprus Institute, Professor Stavros Malas to the United States, where the prospect of collaborations with leading universities, such as Columbia University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Illinois, the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC), was discussed.

 

Professor Malas also had a meeting with Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, who expressed his full support for the initiative of The Cyprus Institute.

 

The foundation’s mission is to be a catalyst for strengthening transatlantic cooperation in the fields of research, education and technological innovation, with the active support of the Greek and Cypriot diaspora, philanthropic foundations and business circles in the United States. Its main objective will be to promote strategic partnerships with research centers, implement student and academic exchange programs, as well as strengthen the international presence of the Cypriot scientific community, making Cyprus a bridge between Europe, the United States and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region.

 

In his presentation at the event, Professor Malas emphasized: “The Cyprus Institute remains committed to addressing global challenges through scientific and technological solutions, while at the same time shaping the next generation of scientists and leaders. Our goal is to educate and inspire those who can advance tomorrow's innovation, leveraging synergies between American and Cypriot institutions. The foundation will act as a catalyst for cutting-edge research, academic excellence, and active engagement with the diaspora."

With massive participation from students and the public, the two-day pioneering Science Festival “sCyence Fair 2025”, hosted annually by The Cyprus Institute, took place this year on Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of April 2025.

 

The opening of the Science Festival was declared by the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Dr Athena Michaelides, in the presence of the President of The Cyprus Institute, Dr Stavros Malas, the Deputy Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus, Mr. Nikolaos Isaris, Ambassadors of EU Member States, students from dozens of schools around Cyprus and the public.

 

The Embassies of France, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Hungary and Sweden were also present with their own stands.

 

Welcoming the participants, President of The Cyprus Institute, Dr. Stavros Malas, pointed out that science, and especially knowledge, is the means by which societies progress. For society to move forward, Dr. Malas said, scientists need to cultivate these gifts in children, so that they can build the future with their own scientific knowledge.

 

The Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Dr Athena Michaelidou, urged children to love science and research, which she said will endow them with life skills. The Ministry of Education, Dr. Michaelidou stressed, will continue to support the work of The Cyprus Institute and especially its opening to society and children, an action which, she noted, our education system needs.

 

The Deputy Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Cyprus, Mr. Nikolaos Isaris, said that the sCYence Fair has become an institution and an important milestone for students' and teachers' programmes. The sCYence Fair, he said, provides a unique opportunity for young and old alike to experiment with science and be inspired by the various activities.

 

The rich and varied programme of sCYence Fair 2025 included, among others, impressive experiments, hands-on games, interesting lectures and inspiring presentations, as well as a presentation of a previously unknown work, hidden for centuries under the famous painting Ecce Homo, by famed renaissance painter Titian.

 

In response to growing interest, this year’s sCYence Fair 2025 was expanded to two full days, providing everyone who loves science with a chance to participate.

 

A record 90 teams from 51 Primary, Middle and High Schools in Cyprus presented their original, innovative scientific activities. The best and most imaginative entries and presentations from Primary, Secondary and High Schools were awarded prizes in their respective categories, based on the underlying science, its impact, and overall presentation.

 

For the first time, the second day of sCYence Fair was aimed at people of all ages who have a passion for science and wanted to share their discoveries. Students, researchers, or simply curious minds brought their science projects and showcased their ideas and engaged with the public.

 

sCYence Fair, is organized by The Cyprus Institute under the auspices of the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, and with the support of major sponsors: ExxonMobil, Deloitte Cyprus, Cyta, XM, Levantina Fish, and the Science Dissemination Centre and Technology Museum - NOESIS.

 

For more information: Phone: 22 208 702 | Fax: 22 208 625 | Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

The Cyprus Institute has once again confirmed its status as a Center of Excellence in Research and Innovation, after triumphing at the 18^th Annual Cyprus’ Innovation & Research Awards, co-organized by OEB (the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation) & the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF). CyI researchers won three out of the ten total awards presented at the ceremony. In particular, CyI researchers won:

• Distinguished Researcher of the Year Award 2024 in the category “Physical Sciences and Engineering” (awarded by RIF), to Professor Jean Sciare, Director of the Research Center of Excellence for Climate and Atmosphere (CARE-C).
• Young Researcher Award 2024 in the category “Physical Sciences and Engineering” (awarded by RIF), to Simone Bacchio.
• Innovation Award in the Social Innovation category (awarded by OEB) to the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs). Professor Nikolas Bakirtzis, Head of APAC Labs received the award on behalf of the entire team.

The Award Ceremony took place on Thursday, March 26, 2025, at the Nicosia Municipal Theater, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides who presented the awards.

 

The Cyprus’ Research and Innovation Awards are Cyprus most important awards in their respective fields, recognizing and rewarding individuals and organizations that stood out the previous year, contributing substantially to the promotion of research, scientific excellence, technological development and innovation.

 

The awards are the latest testament to the excellence, innovation, and leadership that define CyI’s mission in strengthening Cyprus' vision for the formation of a dynamic and innovative research environment, competitive on both the local and international level.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations measured over Cyprus have reached record-breaking levels, according to findings from the first five years of continuous monitoring of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄)  led by the Cyprus Institute’s Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (CARE-C).  Greenhouse gases drive climate change in Cyprus and globally. The wider Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region has already been recognized as a global climate change hotspot. Long-term measurements of GHG emissions such as the one now carried out in Cyprus are essential for scientists to independently monitor these greenhouse gases, and the effectiveness of strategies for their reduction, in line with global efforts to address the climate crisis under the Paris Agreement.

 

Greenhouse gases act as a natural heat-trapping “blanket”, maintaining the Earth’s temperature at an average of 15°C. However, excess GHG emissions from fossil fuel combustion, agriculture, and industrial activities disrupt this balance, driving global warming and its cascading effects, such as rising temperatures, extreme weather, and environmental degradation.

 

Until recently, high-precision greenhouse gas measurements have been limited in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region, leaving a gap in the global monitoring of these long-lived gases that are well mixed in the atmosphere. To address this gap, the Cyprus Institute’s CARE-C, in collaboration with the Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory (LSCE) in France and the University of Bremen in Germany, launched a long-term initiative to monitor the emission of key greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄).

 

The 5-year GHG measurements revealed that GHG concentrations over Cyprus have reached record-breaking levels, increasing year after year. In Ineia (in Paphos) for example, in January 2025 carbon dioxide concentrations exceeded the 430 ppm mark for the first time. These concentrations reflect the position of Cyprus, located in the outflow of European airmasses loaded with continental emissions. GHG concentrations reflect the amount of these heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, which are linked to emissions from human activities. Tiny variations of their concentrations across space contain information about their sources and sinks. Higher GHG levels amplify the greenhouse effect, driving climate change and its already adverse effects on ecosystems, weather patterns, and societies. Indicatively, according to a recently published paper led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and The Cyprus Institute, around 1.6 million people each year already die from extreme heat, while by the end of the century, climate change and air pollution could risk 30 million lives annually.

 

As GHG concentrations continue to rise, long-term monitoring is essential to understand their sources and inform and evaluate the effectiveness of policies to reduce them to address the climate crisis. By establishing high-precision GHG measurement infrastructure, the Cyprus Institute plays a vital role in addressing this challenge for Cyprus and the wider EMME region.

 

A new study by CyI researchers presents an innovative tree identification system, via the application of deep learning models on high-resolution aerial photographs. The research responds to the need for reliable tree counting in Cyprus, which is essential for forest management. Trees contribute to mitigating the long-term impacts of climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The results of the study significantly contribute to both improving the control and management of forest and urban ecosystems in Cyprus and to strengthening actions to address the growing challenges due to the climate crisis.

 

The study was conducted by researchers from The Cyprus Institute’s Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) and the Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences (LSCE) in France, in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. The study involved the first-ever tree mapping and mapping of forests and residential areas in Cyprus, using a pioneering artificial intelligence model that was adapted and trained by the researchers on the island’s data. Specifically, the model was applied to the Troodos National Forest Park, to count and map almost 1 million trees, as well as to the Athalassa Forest Park, and to a small residential area in Aglantzia, covering a total area of ​​107 km². Through this process, two detailed maps were created for the Troodos Geopark and the Athalassa Forest Park, with each tree crown recorded with high precision. In addition, the data were used to estimate the total area covered by trees in the Republic of Cyprus.

 

The study lays the foundations for the creation of the first comprehensive tree registration and mapping in the Republic of Cyprus. Through the processing of these results, it will be possible to examine important parameters, such as the consequences of forest fires, the exact location of burned areas, and the analysis of endemic tree species in the mountains of Cyprus. It will also provide useful information to foresters and other government agencies for taking appropriate measures, such as tree planting and reforestation of burned forest areas. Additionally, through this research, the total forest biomass and the biomass of individual trees will be calculated with high precision for the first time in Cyprus. This will allow the estimation of the total carbon absorbed by trees and will significantly contribute to the implementation of the objectives set by the EU for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in order to address the climate crisis.

 

This research was carried out within the framework of the Horizon Europe Edu4Climate program, which is funded by the European Union.

 

 

Publication: Zenonos, A., Li, S., Brandt, M., Sciare, J., & Ciais, P. (2025). AI-powered estimation of tree covered area and number of trees over the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Frontiers in Remote Sensing, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsen.2025.1498217

Contact: Ms. Anna Zenonos, PhD student at the Climatic and Atmospheric Research (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute is proud to announce its coordination of the new Horizon Europe Project entitled ‘Doctoral Network on Atmospheric Dust’ (Dust-DN), which secured funding of 3.5 million under the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks program. Awarded with full marks within a very competitive evaluation and selection, this initiative aims to train the next generation of scientists in the field of atmospheric dust.

 

Atmospheric dust is one of the most visible and detectable aspects of the transboundary transport of atmospheric constituents, affecting visibility, radiation, and climate. Despite its obvious presence in the atmosphere, the fundamental properties of atmospheric dust remain poorly understood, limiting our ability to develop accurate models and harness the societal benefits of better predictions. The Dust-DN project aims to bridge this knowledge gap by creating the first doctoral network dedicated to atmospheric mineral dust on a European scale, combining expertise and multidisciplinary approaches.

 

It is a strategic, international, and intersectoral alliance of high-profile partners that will drive innovation in understanding the fundamental properties of dust and in predicting its socio-economic impacts. By training a cohort of early-career scientists within a network of academic and non-academic partners, Dust-DN will address critical gaps in the field through the following research objectives:

The Dust-DN project brings together 8 core partners and 15 associated partners, including 5 non-academic institutions, ensuring a broad range of expertise and facilities to address the complex challenges posed by atmospheric dust. The core participating institutes are The Cyprus Institute (CyI) – Project Coordinator, the University of Évora (UÉ) from Portugal, the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) from Greece, the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) from Spain, the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUDa) from Germany, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) also from Germany, the University of Reading (UREAD) from United Kingdom, and the Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos – World Radiation Center (PMOD-WRC) from Switzerland.

 

The associated partners include five universities: the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) both from Greece, the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) from Spain, the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ) from Switzerland and the Khalifa University from United Arab Emirates; five research institutions, the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (MPIC) from Germany, the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence from Cyprus, the Center of Allergy and Environment (ZAUM) from Germany, the Centro Académico Clínico do Alentejo (C-TRAIL) from Portugal, the Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas - Plataforma Solar de Almería (CIEMAT-PSA) from Spain, one agency of the United Nations, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a national meteorological service the Met Office (MetO) from the United Kingdom, and three private companies, the Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RR) a British multinational aerospace and defence company, the Earnst and Young (EY) Cyprus part of the global EY brand and the Generalized Retrieval of Atmosphere and Surface Properties (GRASP) from France.

 

This diverse partnership ensures a wide range of expertise, facilities, and geographic coverage, critical for addressing the complex challenges posed by atmospheric dust.

 

The Dust-DN project kickoff meeting will take place on 20 January 2025, marking the launch of this ambitious initiative. Participants will present the project’s objectives, methodologies, and timeline. To foster public engagement, the public part of the kickoff meeting will be in the form of pre-recorded videos presenting the project and its partners. It will be made available on the official YouTube channel of Dust-DN :

 

For more details about the Dust-DN project and to follow its progress, visit the project website at https://dust-dn.cyi.ac.cy/.

 

For any queries or interview requests, please contact:

 

Mortality attributable to air pollution and extreme temperatures is a major concern, and it is expected to heighten in the future. In a new study led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and an international research team which includes the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute found that, under the most probable projection, annual mortality rates linked to air pollution and extreme temperatures could reach 30 million by the end of the century. The research, based on advanced numerical simulations, suggests a concerning trend: pollution-related deaths are expected to increase five-fold, while temperature-related mortality could rise seven-fold, posing a more critical health risk than air pollution for at least 20% of the world's population.

 

The researchers base their calculations on projections from 2000 to 2090, analyzed in ten-year intervals. “In 2000, around 1.6 million people died each year due to extreme temperatures, both cold and heat. By the end of the century, in the most realistic scenario, this figure climbs to 10.8 million, roughly a seven-fold increase. For air pollution, annual deaths in 2000 were about 4.1 million. By the century's close, this number rises to 19.5 million, a five-fold increase,” explains Dr. Andrea Pozzer, group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz and adjunct associate professor at The Cyprus Institute in Nicosia, Cyprus.

 

The study shows significant regional differences in future mortality rates. South and East Asia are expected to face the strongest increases, driven by aging of the population, with air pollution still playing a major role. In contrast, in high-income regions—such as Western Europe, North America, Australasia, and Asia Pacific—deaths related to extreme temperatures are expected to surpass those caused by air pollution. In some countries within these regions, such as the United States, England, France, Japan and New Zealand, this shift is already occurring. The disparity is likely to grow, with extreme temperatures becoming a more significant health risk than air pollution also in countries of Central and Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland and Romania) and parts of South America (e.g., Argentina and Chile).

 

More specifically, in Cyprus the mortality rate associated with air pollution is expected to increase eightfold by 2090 (from 307 to 2615 deaths per year), while deaths associated with extreme temperatures due to climate change are expected to increase sixteen-fold (from 244 to 3991 deaths per year). It is worth noting that the population of Cyprus is expected to double, from 600 thousand to 1.26 million people.

 

By the end of the century, temperature-related health risks are expected to outweigh those linked to air pollution for a fifth of the world’s population, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive actions to mitigate this growing public health risk.

 

“Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a direct threat to public health,” says Andrea Pozzer. “These findings highlight the critical importance of implementing decisive mitigation measures now to prevent future loss of life”, adds Jean Sciare, director of the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute, key contributor to the study.

Andrea Pozzer, Brendan Steffens, Yiannis Proestos, Jean Sciare, Dimitris Akritidis, Sourangsu Chowdhury, Katrin Burkart and Sara Bacer, Atmospheric health burden across the century and the accelerating impact of temperature compared to pollution, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53649-9, Nature Communications 15, article number: 9379 (2024)

 

Contact: Dr. Giannis Proestos - Tel.: +35722208634, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New ground-breaking research, led by the CLOUD team at CERN, which includes researchers from the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute, has discovered that isoprene, a compound released by trees, is found in surprisingly high levels in the tropical upper troposphere. Notably, researchers have found that isoprene significantly contributes to new particle formation, which in turn leads to cloud formation, and can act as mitigator against climate change. The research findings, published in the prestigious journal Nature, suggest that natural sources, like forests, might have contributed significantly to cloud formations in the past and could change how we understand climate sensitivity and future warming.  This means that as we reduce air pollution, the natural environment might help offset some of the warming effects brought about by climate change, underlining the importance of the natural environment in addressing the climate crisis.

Over the past 20 years, aircraft observations have detected extensive new particle formation in the tropical upper troposphere above the Amazon, as well as over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, the origin of these particles has so far remained unknown. Recent satellite observations over this area, though, have revealed that the levels of isoprene in the tropical upper troposphere are significantly higher than previously thought.

Isoprene, which is released by trees, is the most abundant non-methane hydrocarbon emitted into the atmosphere (0.5 billion tonnes per year) but is currently believed to be unable to form new particles. In the new experiments conducted by the CLOUD team, new particle formation from the oxidation of isoprene at upper tropospheric temperatures of −30 °C and −50 °C was explored. The results revealed that isoprene is triggering extensive new particle formation over vast regions of the tropical upper troposphere. When the particles descent to lower altitudes, they provide an important source of cloud formation world-wide, which strongly influences the Earth’s radiative balance.

Therefore, isoprene released by forests, through their contribution to producing cloud condensation nuclei in the pre-industrial atmosphere, might have contributed significantly to cloud formation in the past, which could reduce estimates of Earth’s climate sensitivity and, in turn, projections of warming later this century. It also implies that as air pollution is reduced through emission control measures, the natural environment might be able to act as a buffer and help offset some of the warming effects later this century.

Associate Professor Theodoros Christoudias of The Cyprus Institute, noted: “This discovery reshapes our understanding of natural climate processes. By revealing that isoprene released from forests is capable of forming cloud-seeding particles, we see a pathway through which nature itself has historically influenced the Earth’s climate. At a time when reducing emissions is critical in tackling the climate crisis, understanding the profound role of forests and the natural environment helps us refine model predictions, by illuminating a natural mechanism that wasn’t fully understood until now.”

The CLOUD Experiment at CERN allows for measuring aerosol nucleation and growth under cosmic rays. Atmospheric aerosols and their effect on clouds are recognised by the IPCC as the main uncertainty in climate models. The Cyprus Institute participates in the CLOUD experiment via its Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) by performing atmospheric, climate, and air quality modelling with global and regional models, and comparing CLOUD data with those obtained in field campaigns over land, e.g. the tropics, marine and urban regions.

Original publication: Shen, J., Russell, D.M., DeVivo, J. et al. New particle formation from isoprene under upper-tropospheric conditions. Nature 636, 115–123 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08196-0

Press Release on CERN website

CERN Animation of new particle formation from isoprene in the upper troposphere from CLOUD experiments

Interview with Dr Theodoros Christoudias on The Cyprus Institute YouTube channel

For queries contact: Dr Theodoros Christoudias, Associate Professor at the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

During the Opening Ceremony of the International Conference on the "Climate Crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East" (emmeclimate2024.cyi.ac.cy), President Nikos Christodoulides announced the revival and strengthening of the Initiative undertaken by the Republic of Cyprus in 2019 to address the impacts of Climate Change in the region.

 

The Conference is co-organized by The Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts, and The Cyprus Institute from September 26 to 28, 2024, in Larnaca. Eminent scientists and policymakers from twenty-two countries have convened to examine scientific evidence and to debate adaptation and mitigation strategies for the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region.

 

President Christodoulides stated that the Cypriot Government has decided to revive the Initiative, with emphasis on the implementation of the Regional Action Plan, as agreed at the COP27 Summit in November 2022. He committed his government to intensifying efforts at both the political and scientific levels to strengthen regional synergies aimed at ameliorating the dire consequences of Climate Change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.  "We must act immediately, decisively, and collectively. We must act as neighbours and allies against Climate Change" the President emphasized.

 

Referring to Cyprus as an example of a country experiencing the effects of Climate Change, President Christodoulides noted that in the past five years, the temperature has increased by 1.5 degrees compared to the average of previous decades, with all months breaking temperature records of the past 40 years. This, he said, affects the environment and ecosystem and causes serious health problems, endangering human lives.

 

In his message, Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan, a prominent international figure widely known for his initiatives in addressing climate and environmental threats, sounded the alarm, reminding of the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who stated that "Global warming is over; the planet is entering the phase of global boiling".  Prince Hassan highlighted that prolonged heatwaves and sandstorms could make the regions of West Asia and North Africa uninhabitable. Due to extreme disasters, more than 20 million people are displaced each year over the last decade, with 80% of displaced individuals coming from Asia, where over a third of the world's poorest people live. The phenomenon of "climate refugees" is a global problem that requires a global solution, he noted.

 

Also speaking at the Conference's Opening Ceremony were Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources Mrs. Maria Panayiotou, President of the International Program Committee, Professor Costas N. Papanicolas, President of the Cyprus Institute, Professor Stavros Malas, and President of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts, Academician Achilles C. Emilianides.

 

During the Conference, measurements and model predictions for climate change and its impacts will be presented and debated, particularly in the sectors of energy, water, food and agriculture, oceans, health, and cultural heritage. Mitigation strategies, and adaptation strategies at a regional level with emphasis on transboundary cooperation will be presented, and economic, legal, and ethical aspects, as well as artistic expressions of concern for the critical issue of the climate crisis will be debated.

 

The Climate Crisis represents the greatest challenge of the 21st century, with its impacts expected to be even more intense in Cyprus and the wider Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East regions, areas identified as highly sensitive. For this reason, the design and implementation of immediate actions to address the crisis, with the cooperation of states, is an urgent necessity.

 

The International Conference on the "Climate Crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East" is endorsed and supported by the European Commission Representation in Cyprus.

 

View highlights of the conference our YouTube channel.

Dr Efthymia Nikita, Assoc. Professor in Bioarchaeology at the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Centre (STARC) of The Cyprus Institute, has been named a Top Scholar by ScholarGPS. This prestigious recognition places her at No. 19 globally in archaeology, signifying her as one of the top 0.5% of scholars worldwide. The ScholarGPS accolade highlights her productivity, impactful research, and high-quality publications.

 

Dr Nikita earned her BA in Archaeology from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and went on to complete her PhD in Biological Anthropology at the University of Cambridge. Her post-doctoral work included positions at the Fitch Laboratory of the British School at Athens and the Malcolm Wiener Laboratory of Archaeological Sciences of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. Additionally, she held a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship at the University of Sheffield.

 

With a publication record that includes over 110 articles and book chapters, Dr Nikita has significantly advanced our understanding of past populations. Her research employs biocultural approaches to explore activity, mobility, demography, health, and diet. Her textbook, ‘Osteoarchaeology: A Guide to the Macroscopic Study of Human Skeletal Remains,’ published by Elsevier, received an honorable mention at the American Publishers Awards, highlighting its impact in the field.

 

Since joining The Cyprus Institute in 2016, Dr Nikita has been at the forefront of bioarchaeological research in the Eastern Mediterranean. She has led two Research and Innovation Foundation funded Excellence Hubs projects, supervised two Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellows, two other post-doctoral fellows, and five PhD students. Her team’s research outputs have been prolific, systematically publishing on various aspects of past life in the region.

 

In addition to her research, Dr Nikita has made significant contributions to scholarly resources and outreach. She has been co-Editor in Chief for the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Archaeology as well as for the Journal of Archaeological Science (both published by Elsevier). Her commitment to open access resources and public engagement further amplifies the impact of her work.

 

Dr Nikita’s scholarship has earned her numerous accolades, the most recent being the Dan David Prize in 2022. This prestigious award, the largest history prize in the world, recognizes researchers whose work illuminates the past and fosters a deeper understanding of history.

 

Dr Nikita’s recognition as a Top Scholar by ScholarGPS is another testament to her outstanding contributions to bioarchaeology and the broader field of archaeology.