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  • Last modified on Thursday, 06 April 2023 07:29

“sCYence Fair 2023”: Science and Innovation for Tomorrow’s Young Researchers

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The largest and most innovative Science Festival of Cyprus, “sCYence Fair 2023”, was successfully co-organized by The Cyprus Institute and the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute’s Education Unit for the Environment and Sustainable Development. The event took place under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, at The Cyprus Institute’s premises, on Wednesday, 5th of April 2023.

“sCYence Fair” aims to stimulate scientific interest and to encourage participation by young students and support the next generation of scientists from Cyprus attended. The event provided an opportunity for our young scientists to increase their awareness of the wonders of science, add to their knowledge, and broaden their scientific horizons.
 
This year’s festival was supported by the representation of the European Commission in Cyprus, and together with Embassies of EU Member States in Cyprus presented scientific activities, experiments and products that brought children closer to real life, modern technology.
 
An unprecedented number of 67 student teams from students at all levels from schools across the private and public sector in Cyprus. The students presented innovative scientific activities, while the best and most imaginative activities and presentations from Primary, Secondary and High Schools were awarded in their respective categories on the basis of the underlying science, the impact, and overall presentation of the activity.


The winners in the three categories were:

Primary Schools:

Winner: Primary School Chryseleousas: Roads in Harmony with Nature

2nd Place: B’ Primary School of Xylofagou: A vast sea of energy

3rd Place: B’ Primary School of Agios Athanasios: Addressing the problem of plastic on our planet


Gymnasiums:

Winner: Gymnasium Kokkinochorion Panos Ioannou: The Shellhive

2nd Place: Archaggelos Gymnasium: Robot Firefighters

3rd Place: Gymnasium Livadion in collaboration with Gymnasium Aradippou: Study of Insect Activities Scantius Aegyptius and Pyrrhocoris Apterus


Lyceums:

Winner: Pascal English School Larnaca: Audito: Giving a voice to the voiceless

2nd Place: A’ TESEK Nicosia: Examples of Angular Acceleration from everyday life & “Weighing the Universe” Investigating the Differences Between Mass and Weight on Various Planets Using Arduino on a Bathroom Scale

3rd Place: Laniteio Lyceum: Natural remains of P. Oceanica seagrass are converted into phosphorus absorption ally and become fertilizer


Honourable Mention: TESEK Paphos – Lyceum Kykkou Paphos: Using Educational Robotics for volumetric Analysis

The winning teams were awarded internships at The Cyprus Institute and team members will have the chance to broaden their skills and knowledge by being mentored from experienced CyI researchers.

The “sCYence Fair 2023” opening ceremony was addressed by the First Lady, Mrs. Philippa Karsera-Christodoulides, in the presence of CyI President, Prof. Stavros Malas, the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr. Filippos Hadjizacharias, the Ambassador of Sweden in Cyprus, the country holding the EU presidency this semester, H.E. Mr. Martin Hagstrom, and the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Office in Cyprus, Mr. Nicolas Isaris.
 
In his welcoming address, CyI President, Prof. Stavros Malas, stated that “sCYence Fair 2023, which has now become an institution, aims to cultivate and highlight research in Cyprus society. Progress is synonymous with investment in knowledge and research. It is obligation of the current generation to hand over to the next a better culture of research”. Prof. Malas also stated that students need to invest in knowledge, primarily taking care of the planet, which is threatened by the climate change. At the same time, he gave special thanks to the Ambassador of Sweden, whose country presides over the EU, while underlining the importance of the participation of other member states of EU with their own booths at the “sCYence Fair”.
 
“Initiatives such as the “sCYence Fair 2023”, contribute significantly to the development of an ecosystem of research, innovation and entrepreneurship, and promote the formation of the new generation of scientists”, stated Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Mr. Filippos Hadjizacharias. Using the words of the British writer Philip Stanhope, he indicated that if “we do not plant the tree of knowledge when we are young, it will not give us its shadow when we are old”. At the same time, he encouraged the students to believe in their abilities and become the wind of change that the country needs, because as he said, Cyprus may be a small country, but it has big minds.
 
In his speech, the Ambassador of Sweden, H.E. Mr. Hagstrom, noted that “sCYence Fair 2023” summarizes many of the priorities of the Swedish EU Presidency, such as the green transition, mitigating the effects of climate change and investing in innovation, which is, as he said, the means for this green transition and addressing environmental challenges, as well as the means to become more competitive. He even invited everyone to visit the Swedish booth and learn about an innovative bicycle helmet with airbags, which is placed around the neck and offers great safety to cyclists.
 
The Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Commission Office in Cyprus, Mr. Nikolaos Isaris, congratulated The Cyprus Institute for organizing the event which, as he pointed out, enables children to learn through experiment and play. At the same time, he indicated that digital skills and engagement with science and technology are among the main priorities of the European Year of Skills, which is being celebrated this year by the member states of the European Union.
 
Announcing the opening of this year’s “sCYence Fair”, the First Lady, Mrs. Philippa Karsera-Christodoulides highlighted that this initiative contributes to the development and progress of our country. “Today, it is a particularly special day because it focuses on science, innovation and progress, areas that will lead Cyprus to the next era, which will be greener, more innovative and humane”. The First Lady recalled a statement by the President of the Republic who indicated that the greatest wealth of Cyprus is its human resources and which is why, as he noted, that we must invest in education and training, in order to achieve what we all seek: progress.

The multi-collective and rich program of “sCYence Fair 2023”, included among others:

  • Educational Applications of Virtual Reality
  • Presentation of STEM & Robotics Programs
  • The largest Planetarium in the Eastern Mediterranean for exploring the World that extends beyond what the naked eye can see
  • Participation of the mobile Planetarium “Starlab” in which attendees had the opportunity to watch a simulation of the starry sky and tour distant constellations, the Milky Way and our solar system, discovering the world of the future
  • Participation of the European Commission with presentation of programming activities and assembly of computers with Raspberry Pi and programming exercises with BBC Micro:bit
  • The Embassies of Sweden, France, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Spain educated the public on interesting topics such as: How kites help islands to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, how a barrow can help remove microplastics from the oceans and how magnets fight cancer
  • Presentation of innovative activities by researchers of The Cyprus Institute
  • Robotics Exhibition using Robots from First Tech Challenge (FTC) on a regular 4X4 meter track
  • Physics Decathlon for experiential activity with ten interesting Physics experiments for young and old
  • Presentation of the SEMEP International Program (South Eastern Mediterranean Sea Project), which is coordinated by UNESCO and promotes scientific study and research on environmental issues
  • Exhibition of Prestigio multiboards for training and Security Dogs robots in action

Additionally, Christiana Artemiou and Sofia Proimou conveyed the pulse of the biggest science celebration, through a live link of Love FM Cyprus Radio Station.

Major Sponsors: ExxonMobil, XM, CYTA
Sponsors: Medochemie, MUSKITA Aluminium Industries Ltd, Asbis
Supporters: Cyprus Computer Society, Epiteugma Robotics Lab, Interstellar Science Education and Cultural Institute, The Cyprus Planetarium, Engino, Nutty Scientists, Decathlon Physics, Heron Digital Education & Mathisis, STS Events
Media Sponsor: Kathimerini

 

 

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  • Last modified on Wednesday, 08 March 2023 12:10

The Cyprus Institute Awarded a Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Award for 2023

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The Cyprus Institute is among the winners of a Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Award for 2023, announced recently during the 17th General Assembly which took place in Rabat, Morocco in early March.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) is an international organization, bringing together 34-member parliaments from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions to discuss and face critical issues, such as regional conflicts, security and counter-terrorism, humanitarian crises, economic integration, climate change, mass migrations, education, human rights and inter-faith dialogue.

The President of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Annita Demetriou, submitted CyI’s nomination in a letter to the PAM, following a proposal by the Cypriot delegation to the Assembly consisting of MPs Mr. Andreas Pasiourtides, Mrs. Rita Theodorou-Superman, Mr. Christos Orphanidis and Mr. Charalambos Theopemptou.

In announcing the award, Mrs. Demetriou noted that the awards are given every year to personalities and organizations from the political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, sport, journalism and artistic communities, who contribute through their actions to establish bridges among the peoples of the region so as to foster understanding, mutual respect, socio-economic cooperation, political dialogue, confidence building and conflict solution. In particular, this year, she added, emphasis was placed on the environment, a field in which The Cyprus Institute particularly excels.

“I warmly congratulate The Cyprus Institute for this award, as it is another recognition of the excellent technological and interdisciplinary work carried out at the Institute. Additionally, the award highlights the Institute’s important contributions to the formation of the Regional Action Plan within the context of supporting the Initiative of the Republic of Cyprus to deal with Climate Change in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East region, as well as its contributions to research and innovation. I wish The Cyprus Institute every success in its current and future endeavours”, Mrs. Demetriou said.

The Cyprus Institute is the second Cypriot Institution in a row to win the award, following last year’s award to the Karaiskakeio Foundation.

  • Last modified on Monday, 20 February 2023 09:50

Change of Leadership: Handover Ceremony for Newly Appointed CyI President and Chair of Board of Trustees

 
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Prof. Malas delivering his speech. Seated, from left to right Dr Andreas Pittas, Prof. Costas Papanicolas, Prof. Didier Roux, Prof. Edouard Brezin, Dr Michalis Yiangou, and via video Prof. Dan-Olof Riska

The Cyprus Institute held a handover ceremony to mark the occasion of the leadership changes that recently took place at the Institute: on February 1st 2023, Prof. Stavros Malas officially assumed his duties as new President of CyI, taking over from Founding President of the Institute and CEO of The Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation (CREF), Prof. Costas Papanicolas; on the same day, Prof. Didier Roux assumed duties as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees, taking over from Prof. Dan-Olof Riska.

The ceremony was held on Friday, 17th of February 2023 at CyI’s premises. The event was addressed by the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, Dr Andreas Pittas and former Chair of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Edouard Brezin. 

In his welcome speech, Dr Pittas thanked Prof. Dan-Olof Riska, whose personality and wisdom guided CyI for five years and was instrumental in guiding the Institute and addressing all the issues that arose. He then welcomed Prof. Roux to his new position and wished him success in his new role. Dr Pittas emphasized Prof. Papanicolas’ immense contributions and absolute dedication to CyI, and expressed his support to Prof. Malas, saying that the Executive Committee will always be on his side to assist him in his new duties.
 
In his talk, Prof. Brezin credited Prof. Papanicolas for the extraordinary achievement of establishing and gaining international recognition for The Cyprus Institute in such a short period of time. “Prof. Malas inheres this precious gift. CyI is not a new-born now, however it needs considerable attention and support from the community to take CyI further and higher on its remarkable journey”, he said.
 
During the handover ceremony Professors Riska, Papanicolas, Roux and Malas briefly talked to the staff about the Institute’s goals and future plans.
 
Prof. Riska noted “It is my privilege to hand over the Chair to Prof. Roux. There is nothing I can tell to Prof. Roux that he does not already know for CREF and CyI from his long service, as a CREF Trustee and as a Member of the Executive Committee. Prof. Roux has all the experience for overseeing the efforts at CyI to create innovation to be translated in commercial products”.
 
Prof. Roux stated “We have now in front of us a big challenge. We went through difficult times as well as exciting times. I feel that CyI is now at its best, but there is always room to expand and improve”.
 
Prof. Papanicolas highlighted that the handover ceremony is at the crossroads between fundamental science and expertise. “I certainly feel gratified that our institution was recently evaluated by a truly world-class, demanding Committee. This Committee was very pleased to have the opportunity to interact with the next President and to listen to his carefully crafted presentation. His knowledge ensures that he will be immediately in a capacity to act and lead the transformation that CyI needs”, he added.
 
Prof. Malas stated that he is truly honoured to assume his new position, especially since has been a long-standing friend of The Cyprus Institute from the very beginning. “We wouldn’t be able to have achieved what we have today, unless there was vision, stamina, plan and above all Prof. Papanicolas, who steered this idea into success. Now we have to navigate to even more challenging times together”, he added.
 
The occasion was an opportunity for CyI staff and researchers to meet in person the newly appointed CyI President and Chair of Board of Trustees, and to express their gratitude and appreciation for the departing President and Chair for their instrumental contributions in elevating the profile of The Cyprus Institute, both nationally and internationally.
 
A ceremony unveiling portraits of Past Chairs of the Board, also took place at the end of the ceremony, and Professors Papanicolas, Riska and Brezin (former Chair of the Board of Trustees) were presented with a gift of a silver pomegranate tree symbolizing good luck for their future endeavours. Special tribute was also made for the late Prof. Hubert Curien, first Chair of the Board of Trustees.
 
You can watch the handover ceremony here.
 
 
 
 
Prof. Stavros Malas, New President of The Cyprus Institute
Prof. Stavros Malas holds a BSc and PhD in Genetics from University College London. Subsequent to his postgraduate studies, he worked for the Medical Research Council-Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College. In 2001, he moved to Cyprus and joined the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics (CING).

Over the last twenty years he has undertaken many EC advisory roles in policy development: Special Advisor to Commissioner for Health, elected first President of the Innovative Medicines Initiative-States Representatives Group, member of the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and member of the Program Committee for Health. In 2012, he led a European project which developed a strategy for Innovative Health care provision about “Building an Open Innovation ecosystem in Europe for healthcare”. Prof. Malas served as Minister of Health of the Republic of Cyprus and, during the Cyprus Presidency of the European Union, as Chair of both the European Council of Ministers of Health and the Competitiveness Council for Research.

Prof. Stavros Malas previously held the position of Professor of Genetics and Development at the University of Nicosia and led the effort for establishing the first Veterinary Medicine Program in Cyprus as Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine.

 
Prof. Didier Roux, New Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Cyprus Institute
Prof. Didier Roux currently serves as the Delegate for Scientific Information and Communication at the Académie des Sciences. Prof. Roux also served as the Vice President of Research & Development and Innovation and Director of Innovation of the Saint-Gobain Group in France and he is a member of the French Academy of Sciences. A chemist by training, he has explored various facets of science and its interfaces (chemistry, physics, biology, industry, etc.) and has been awarded many prizes and distinctions including the Grand Prix IBM materials, the Grand Prix of the French Academy of Sciences Mergier Bourdeix and the Silver Medal of CNRS.
 
Prof. Costas N. Papanicolas, Departing Founding President of The Cyprus Institute
Prof. Costas N. Papanicolas, CyI Institute Professor and CEO of The Cyprus Research and Educational Foundation (CREF), is a nuclear physicist with over 35 years of experience as a researcher, an educator and a scientific administrator at the University of Illinois and the University of Athens. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, member of the European Academy of Sciences (Academia Europaea) and Founding member of the Cyprus Academy of Sciences Letters and Arts. He is also the Advisor to the President of the Republic of Cyprus and Special Envoy on Climate Change.
 
Prof. Dan-Olof Riska, Departing Chair of the Board of Trustees of The Cyprus Institute

Prof. Dan-Olof Riska is an Emeritus Professor of Physics at the University of Helsinki. He has served as Treasurer and as President of the Finnish Society of Science and Letters. He also served as Vice President of the CERN Council, as well as Director of the Helsinki Institute of Physics. His research experience covers a wide field of theoretical and applied physics, including geophysics. He is a fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, the Finnish Society of Science and Letters, the Finnish Academy of Technical Sciences, the Finnish Academy of Science, as well as of the American Physical Society. He has served as vice president of the European Academies Science Advisory Council and on scientific advisory committees in several countries and the editorial boards of several scientific journals.

 

 

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  • Last modified on Friday, 03 February 2023 11:48

In a First for Cyprus, CyI Receives Funding from Prestigious Wellcome Trust to Predict the Effects of Climate Change on Insect-borne Diseases

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The Cyprus Institute (CyI) has received a Digital Technology Development Award in climate sensitive infectious disease modelling by the prestigious Wellcome Trust foundation in the UK. The project is led by Dr Kamil Erguler of CyI’s Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) and focuses on the impact of climate change on the spread and abundance of mosquitoes and other insect vectors of human diseases.
 
“VEClim” project aims to develop a computational tool that can assess the risk of transmission of such diseases in the future, aiding targeted vector and disease management. The project has a duration of five years and a budget of over half million Euros. It is the first such award the Wellcome Trust has ever made directly to a Cypriot institution.
 
Climate warming changes the habitable zones of disease-carrying insects that originate in the tropics, such as the notorious tiger mosquito, to countries where cold winter conditions previously prevented their spreading. This in turn increases the risk of transmission of diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya and West Nile fever. CyI has been among the first to develop computational models of complex life activities that can predict the habitat suitability and abundance of disease vectors that are sensitive to environmental factors and climate change.
 
The models and predictions produced by the researchers will be made available to the public, policy makers and other stakeholders. A repository of climate relevant risk assessment tools will be developed through the high-performance supercomputing environment of CyI, providing a user-friendly, interactive web-based geographic information and decision support platform. The predictions will inform the public and contribute to global-to-local strategies of vector management, and help with efficient, cost-effective, and ecologically sound and sustainable vector control measures to put a stop to infectious disease spreading.
 
Read the official Wellcome Trust press release.
  • Last modified on Thursday, 22 December 2022 16:15

Season’s Greetings from CyI as we Celebrate 15 Years of Achievements in Research and Innovation

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As 2022 comes to an end, we mark fifteen years of operations for The Cyprus Institute. Starting in 2007 and with only a handful of employees, The Cyprus Institute has grown tremendously, demonstrating again and again its keen ability to successfully conduct cutting edge scientific research.
 
Early on, the founders of the institute recognized the unique geopolitical location of Cyprus as the southern and eastern-most state of the European Union, and envisioned CyI as an important research resource to help transform Cyprus into a knowledge-based economy and as a gateway between the European Union and the Eastern Mediterranean - Middle East, advancing the welfare of the island and the region.
 
Today, CyI boasts almost 300 staff from 30 countries and, to date, we have received competitive funding exceeding 75 million euros from national and international funding sources, many of them prestigious projects funded by the European Union such as a WIDESPREAD Teaming Excellence Center, Advanced Grants from the European Research Council (ERC), European Research Area Chairs (ERA Chairs), Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Joint Doctorates (EJD), and others.
 
This year, CyI also launched its latest research center, bringing the total number of its fundamental research units to five:
  • Energy, Environment and Water Research Center (EEWRC) (Est. 2007)
  • Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC, Est. 2008)
  • Computation-Based Science and Technology Research Center (CASTORC, Est. 2008)
  • Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C, Est. 2020)
  • Science and Technology Driven Policy and Innovation Research Center (STeDI-RC, Est. 2022)
Through our know-how and expertise, we also support the work of the government in areas such as energy policy, tackling the energy and climate crisis, environmental monitoring, archeology and cultural heritage preservation, water resources management, and education.
 
In parallel with its research direction, the Institute places huge emphasis and actively pursues projects in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship where many of our efforts are already beginning to bear fruit - today we count 5 startups, 3 patents and 10 innovation and entrepreneurship projects, that promote competitiveness, job creation and economic development.
 
In 2022 in particular, the Institute was highly successful in all aspects of its operations. We received record amount in scientific funding – a total of 13.5 million euros were secured for research projects.
 
Last but not least, our graduate school has been expanding its graduate program portfolio, now offering six unique postgraduate programs at the Master's and Doctoral level to selected students from all over the world. We currently number 95 students and 20 nationalities, studying in areas such as Energy, Environment and Atmospheric Sciences, Computational Sciences, Simulation and Data Science, and Digital Cultural Heritage.
 
As 2022 comes to an end, we look forward to a new year with even more successes, and all of us here at The Cyprus Institute send our warmest wishes for the holiday season to our friends and collaborators.
  • Last modified on Wednesday, 28 December 2022 08:28

Prof. Thilo Rehren, A.G. Leventis Professor for Archaeological Sciences, Awarded "Cyprus Research Prize - Distinguished Researcher 2022" for Social Sciences and Humanities

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At a ceremony on Friday, 16 December 2022, Prof. Thilo Rehren, the A.G. Leventis Professor for Archaeological Sciences at The Cyprus Institute, was awarded the "Cyprus Research Prize - Distinguished Researcher 2022" prize for his contributions to science in the thematic section “Social sciences and humanities” at the "Cyprus Innovation and Research Awards 2022", organized jointly by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) and the Cyprus Employers & Industrialists Federation (OEB).

The main objective of the Research Prizes is to highlight the work and character of scientists who are active in the field of research in Cyprus, and who have significant and internationally recognized achievements. At the same time, the awarding of the Cyprus Research Prizes, which the Research Promotion Foundation established in 2007, highlight the personalities of researchers working in Cyprus, making their research work which already has international reach and significant impact on the wider scientific community, to become more widely known to the general public.
 
In his acceptance speech, Prof. Rehren emphasized the importance of collaborative interdisciplinary research, which is essential for archaeology and archaeological sciences. "I fondly remember the warm welcome I received when I first arrived in Sept 2017, not only at the Cyprus Institute, but also by the late Professor Vassos Karageorghis, and my colleagues at the Archaeological Research Unit at the University, particularly Prof. Vasiliki Kassianidou, as well as the Director of the Department of Antiquities, Dr Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou and her staff. We now all collaborate in many projects, and this award tonight reflects our common enthusiasm, and is a strong encouragement for the archaeological sciences in Cyprus", he said. He dedicated his award to the memory of Dr Myrto Georgakopoulou, a leading archaeological scientist, who first introduced him to the archaeometallurgy of the Eastern Mediterranean and passed away the day before this award, aged 46.
 
Prof. Rehren received his Master’s degree in Mineralogy from the Technical University Clausthal in 1984 and his PhD in Petrology from Freiburg University in 1988. After a decade working at the German Mining Museum he joined the UCL Institute of Archaeology in London in 1999 as its inaugural Chair in Archaeological Materials and Technologies.
 
He joined The Cyprus Institute in 2017, where he served for five years as Director of the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC). In September 2018 he was appointed A.G. Leventis Professor for Archaeological Sciences, a position he holds to this day. Under the guidance of Prof. Rehren, STARC has evolved into a leading center for Archaeological Sciences in the Eastern Mediterranean, collaborating with a wide range of academic institutions, colleagues and stakeholders in the scientific communities of Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean.
 
Prof. Rehren also holds a Visiting Professorship at the University of Science and Technology in Beijing (USTB) as well as an honorary research affiliation at the University of Cambridge. Among many other projects, he has analysed the metalwork from the Terracotta Army of the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of China in Xi’an, and the iconic gold mask and golden sarcophagus from the tomb of Tutankhamen, in Cairo, Egypt. His students hold leading academic positions in the US, UK, Europe, Africa and Asia, incl. China. Since moving to Cyprus, he is focussing his research on the study of early glass and metal production in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, and on further developing the research capacity of STARC.

 

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Cyprus Research and Innovation Awards 2022 - Prof Thilo Rehren - Biography

Thilo Rehren YouTube Award Biography Cookies Not Accepted

Cyprus Research and Innovation Awards 2022 - Prof Thilo Rehren - Award Acceptance Speech

 

 

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  • Last modified on Wednesday, 18 January 2023 08:46

EAD Leads World-First Offshore Atmospheric Research Expedition Between Spain and UAE in Partnership with Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and The Cyprus Institute

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From left to right: Director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Prof. Jos Lelieveld, Executive Director of Environment Information, Science Outreach Management Sector at EAD, Ahmed Baharoon, and CARE-C Director, Prof. Jean Sciare

The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Cyprus Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany, regarding cooperation on a major atmospheric research project named Atmospheric Research Expedition to Abu Dhabi (AREAD).

The agreement will see an EAD research vessel fitted with advanced monitoring equipment supplied and operated by researchers of the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) of The Cyprus Institute, a leading regional Center of Excellence for air pollution and climate change research, and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, a leading research institute focusing on chemical processes in the Earth system.

Led by the Agency, the parties will collaborate on an oceanographic air quality and climate change monitoring expedition – a world-first that will cover three continents and eight major bodies of water, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Gulf covering a distance of more than 10,000 km. Around 30 high-profile experts from the 3 parties are involved in this expedition.
 
Sailing off the coasts of 25 countries, starting in Spain and ending in the UAE, the epic scientific undertaking will add valuable new data and contribute significantly to our understanding of coastal and marine air quality and climate change. More than 22 different parameters will be monitored, including air quality regulated parameters, greenhouse gas concentrations, as well as volatile organic compounds and aerosol properties.
 
To date, air quality data has been predominantly collected from land-based systems, while most of the air that impacts Abu Dhabi traverses seas and oceans, influencing local air quality in populated areas of the emirate when making landfall. An instrumented vessel offers the ideal platform from which to study the physical and chemical processes that occur offshore.
 
Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of EAD, said: “We are honoured to be partnering with two of the world’s most authoritative and respected research institutes in their fields. This important agreement will help us take a major step in understanding how oceanic air quality affects Abu Dhabi, and how large-scale atmospheric circulation is essential in designing effective measures to help combat climate change and improve air quality and health in the emirate.”
 
“From a scientific perspective, this important expedition is a world-first, covering three continents and eight major seas or oceans, and will cement EAD’s global position as a leader in the field of atmospheric research.”
 
Prof. Dr Jos Lelieveld, Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, said: “This remarkable ship measurement expedition will be the start of an international collaboration that aims at collecting and analysing unique datasets from a region of the world that has yet been data-sparse, providing the basis for both scientific discovery and the underpinning of air quality policies.” 
 
Prof. Jean Sciare, Director of CARE-C, The Cyprus Institute, added: “It is with great pleasure that we partake in this international collaboration, as the need to initiate atmospheric measurements such as the ones to be gathered through this ship expedition, and continue and expand on them in coming years, is imperative. Data collected will be critical in enabling better simulation and prediction of air quality over the Gulf region, and informing effective measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation.”
 
The expedition started on 25th November in the North Atlantic and will traverse the Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Suez, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, ending in the Arabian Gulf and Abu Dhabi water in December of this year.

 

 

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  • Last modified on Thursday, 15 December 2022 13:11

Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs): Celebrating Three Years of Achievements

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The symposium was attended by diplomats and representatives from the embassies of France, Italy, Israel, Romania, Spain and Greece, Members of the Board of Trustees and the Friends of The Cyprus Institute Association, experts, scholars, students and the general public.

 

Leading scholars from Europe and the USA in the fields of art history, heritage and conservation science including digital cultural heritage, participated in an international symposium held on the 15th of December on CyI premises, to celebrate three years of achievements for The Cyprus Institute’s Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs).

For the past three years, APAC Labs researchers have been developing task-specific service protocols related to material characterization and data integration, address issues of provenance, and assess the state of preservation of works of art, archaeological objects and monuments. Training and educational programs offer workshops and seminars to experts and students from both the humanities and the sciences, thus exposing them to interdisciplinary methodologies and approaches. In addition, innovation work pursues novel methodological and instrumentation applications while developing solutions for services and research commercialization.  
 
Symposium participants shared the exciting scientific and technological advances in the study of art and archaeology and addressed key themes, topics and latest approaches in the documentation, analysis and digital representation of art, archaeological and heritage objects. The work of APAC Labs and the Science and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center (STARC) was presented and a small exhibition provided the opportunity for APAC Labs and STARC researchers to share aspects of their research and instrumentation capacity.
 
The symposium was addressed by the President of The Cyprus Institute, Prof. Costas Papanicolas, the Executive Chairman of Medochemie and Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of The Cyprus Institute, Dr. Andreas Pittas, the Director of the Department of Antiquities, Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou, and His Excellency Deputy Minister of Culture, Dr. Yiannis Toumazis.
 
Welcoming participants to the symposium, Professor Papanicolas highlighted the significance of the establishment of APAC Labs: “The foundation of APAC Labs through the generous grant of Dr. Andreas Pittas is a milestone for the development of the Cyprus Institute and STARC. His direct engagement and support of the Institute’s research in the interdisciplinary study of the artistic and archaeological heritage of Cyprus highlighted its potential and helped to consolidate our leading expertise in the field”.
 
In his address, Dr. Pittas welcomed the international participants of the symposium reflecting on his early fascination with “the remains of Cyprus’ rich archaeological and cultural past and in particular by the artistic legacy of the Byzantine and Medieval periods.” He spoke of his gradual engagement with the Cyprus Institute recognizing the “impressive collaborative work in heritage science between STARC and the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musées de France (C2RMF) at the Louvre museum” as well as the very important partnerships with the Department of Antiquities and other local institutions. Dr. Pittas also stated that “over the past years, our APAC labs team has established a world-class laboratory that has gained international recognition.” He referred to highlights of APAC Labs research and education successes. In addition, he pointed to the innovation efforts that led to the development of ARTES, which is a science and technology-based service framework for art, archaeological artifacts and heritage monuments. Dr. Pittas concluded his address by outlining the exciting future APAC Labs and expressing his continuing commitment to its success.
 
The Director of Antiquities, Dr. Ieronymidou, emphasized that from its first years of operation, the scientific advances of APAC Labs’ “have placed our island in the centre of international scientific developments”. She also underlined the importance of the established collaboration between The Cyprus Institute and the Department of Antiquities which “has produced and still produces invaluable outcomes contributing to the advancement of archaeological research and also to managing our rich cultural heritage.” Dr. Ieronymidou highlighted the collaboration of APAC Labs and STARC with the Department of Antiquities in key areas like the impact of climate change on cultural heritage, the challenges posed by looting and the illicit trafficking of antiquities and mentioned the shared development of the Cyprus Dendrochronology Laboratory. She ended her address by congratulating the Institute but also Dr. Pittas for APAC’s achievements and thanked him for his support in the creation and success of the labs.
 
His excellency, the Deputy Minister of Culture pointed to the overall important contribution of the Cyprus Institute to research in Cyprus, with a particular reference to the study, protection and dissemination of the island’s cultural heritage. He acknowledged the significance of the direct engagement of Dr. Pittas with the Institute and thanked him for the establishment of APAC Labs and its diverse contributions. 

The symposium was attended by Ambassadors, diplomats and representatives from the Embassies of France, Italy, Israel, Romania, Spain and Greece, members of the Board of Trustees and of the Friends of the Institute association, The Cyprus Institute’s President-elect, Dr. Stavros Malas, and experts, scholars, students and the general public.

 

 

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://starc.cyi.ac.cy/index.php/in-focus/itemlist.html?start=20#sigProGalleriaf7c42fc84c

  • Last modified on Tuesday, 22 November 2022 13:21

CyI Assistant Professor Dr. Tuija Jokinen Awarded Prestigious ERC Starting Grant

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Dr. Tuija Jokinen, Assistant Professor at The Cyprus Institute’s Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C), has been selected for funding for a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for an innovative project proposal exploring “The role of Base molecules in AErosol formation (BAE)”. 
 
The research to be carried out at The Cyprus Institute is led by Dr. Jokinen, an established PI with a demonstrated history in ground breaking nanoaerosol and aerosol precursor studies, and aims to advance our understanding of the atmospheric chemistry and molecular pathways that control the formation and growth of aerosol formation.
The project will focus on the role of base molecules in the formation of new particles and their fate in the atmosphere. This project will underpin the modelling of atmospheric aerosol processes, which are subject to major precursor emission changes in Europe and beyond. The project has a duration of five years and a total budget of 2.24 million euros.
 
The BAE project is of particular significance to global efforts to address the climate crisis, as aerosol formation and growth mechanisms need to be better understood to improve air quality and weather prediction models, and reduce uncertainty of radiative forcing in climate change projections.
 
Dr. Jokinen’s is the only ERC Starting Grant proposal to be selected for funding at a Cyprus-based Research Organization in 2022 and the sixth Starting Grant awarded to Cyprus since the beginning of the program in 2007.
 
The ERC, set up by the European Union in 2007, is the premier European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. With a funding budget of €636 million ERC Starting Grants help excellent younger scientists, who have 2 to 7 years’ experience after their PhDs, to launch their own projects, form their teams and pursue their most promising ideas. The laureates of this grant competition proposed to carry out their projects at universities and research centres in 26 countries across Europe, with the call attracting nearly 3,000 proposals.
 
More information about the 2022 ERC Starting Grant results here.
 

About Dr. Tuija Jokinen

tuija jokinenTuija Jokinen is an Assistant Professor at CyI’s Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C). She joined CyI in August 2021 from the University of Helsinki, Finland, where she also completed her Ph.D. in physics and M.Sc. in Chemistry. Following her dissertation in 2015, she was affiliated with the University of California at Irvine, USA, and has also been a visiting researcher at TROPOS, Leipzig, Germany. Before joining CyI she was the Head of Unit for two ACTRIS calibration centers and a group leader for the Polar and Arctic atmospheric research group (PANDA). 
 
She has a long history in working with chemical ionization - atmospheric pressure interface - time of flight mass spectrometers (CI-APi-TOF) and she specializes in field observations of aerosol precursor gases and sub 10 nm particle measurements. Her research aims at solving how aerosol particles are formed from condensing vapors in the atmosphere and how aerosols effect the climate and ecosystems around EMME-area.
  • Last modified on Monday, 21 November 2022 09:15

CyI Leading Regional Efforts in Tackling Climate Crisis

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Top left photo is of the Red Sea Ecosphere Conference in Aqaba. Remaining pictures show the COP27 Summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh

The important and leading role of The Cyprus Institute in the global efforts to address the effects of the climate crisis which has become a major problem for the planet, was highlighted once again through the representation of the Institute at the highest level, during several events at the recent COP27 meeting.

The Regional Action Plan to address Climate Change in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region, developed within the framework of the Cyprus Government's Initiative (EMME-CCI), was presented at the COP27 Heads of State Summit, held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on November 8th. In particular, President Anastasiades was accompanied amongst others in Sharm el-Sheikh by the President of The Cyprus Institute and Advisor and Special Envoy to the President of the Republic on Climate Change, Professor Costas N. Papanicolas, who presented with Minister Kadis the EMME-CCI.
 
At the Summit, chaired by President Anastasiades and Egypt's President Fatah al-Sisi, a relevant Political Declaration was signed for the official launch of the implementation of the EMME-CCI Initiative in a region that is considered by researchers as a climate-change “hot-spot”. The EMME-CCI Regional Action Plan contains recommendations to address the impacts of climate change based on the findings of 240 scientists who worked under coordination of The Cyprus Institute.
 
On the side-lines of COP27, Mr. Fabio Montagnino, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship of The Cyprus Institute, and Coordinator of the Task Force on Green Economy and Innovation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, presented the Cyprus Initiative at the Techne Summit in Alexandria, in a talk entitled “Innovation Beyond Borders”. At the same time, Mr. Montagnino participated in a discussion entitled “An economy with benefits for nature, climate and biodiversity”, as well as in an event held as part of the Science Day, entitled “Redesigning strategies in a changing world”.
 
Prior to the Sharm el-Sheikh Heads of State Summit, The Cyprus Institute was represented by the President of the Cyprus Institute, Professor Papanicolas, and the Director of the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry in Germany, and CyI Institute Professor, Jos Lelieveld, on November 4-5, in the first international “Red Sea Ecosphere Conference” in Aqaba, Jordan. During the event, which focused on the important role of research centers for the protection of the environment in the region, new strategies were presented, as well as best practices, innovative ideas and solutions for environmental management issues.
 
Specifically, Prof. Papanicolas, focused on the need to implement the regional action plan prepared in the framework of the AMMA countries Climate Change Initiative, making special reference to the need to increase funding for climate change research, as well as to improve the use of technology for the needs of dealing with its effects.
 
Prof. Jos Lelieveld, presented the findings of a recent study by The Cyprus Institute, which recognizes our region as one of the global climate change hotspots, warning of a temperature increase of 5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, with unpredictable consequences for humanity.
 
Remarkably, it is worth noting that internationally renowned Prof. Noam Chomsky, recently referred to the results of a specific study that was produced by researchers of The Cyprus Institute and the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry. Prof. Chomsky indicated, among other things, that there are no words to describe the situation as it is developing in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, where the dramatic increase in temperature by the end of the century will dramatically reduce survival levels.
 
Finally, Prof. Papanicolas, along with Assoc. Professor Sorin Hermon, took part in the Conference, entitled “The Future of World Heritage in Difficult Times”, which took place on 16-18 November in Delphi, Greece. At the Conference, which was organized by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports and UNESCO, the factors affecting cultural and natural monuments worldwide, as well as ways to mitigate their impact were presented.

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