She is a Project Development Coordinator at the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB) since 2023, with over 15 years’ experience in human resources, training and project management. She has held key roles at Teach for Romania, including Erasmus+ Programme Manager and Public Funds and Foundations Manager, and has worked widely as an HR consultant.

Her expertise covers team development, organisational communication and EU-funded projects. She is dedicated to inclusive education and sustainable institutional growth.

He is Project Officer for EU Funding Programmes at La Rochelle Université (LRUniv), France. For over three years, he has supported researchers and academics in preparing project applications at regional, national, European and international levels. As part of the EU-CONEXUS Project Development Support Office (PDSO), he works to foster joint project proposals across the alliance.

His expertise spans funding strategy, partnership building and grant coordination, and he is dedicated to strengthening research collaboration and innovation within higher education.

She has led the Projects, Grants & Agreements Office at La Rochelle Université since 2017 and has coordinated the EU-CONEXUS Project Development Support Office (PDSO) since 2023. Holding a Master’s degree in European Studies, she has dedicated nearly her entire career to European funding. She specialises in EU funds for research and innovation and spent eight years as Legal and Financial National Contact Point for Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.

Her expertise spans grant management, compliance and strategic funding development. She is committed to advancing international research collaboration and innovation.

Stefano Zamagni is Contract Professor of Political Economy at the University of Bologna and Adjunct Professor of International Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University, SAIS Europe. A leading scholar in civil and cooperative economics, he has authored numerous influential works on ethics, markets and the common good.

Over his long academic career he has held senior administrative roles, including Dean of the Faculty of Economics at Bologna and President of Italy’s National Agency for the Third Sector. He is a full member and current President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in the Vatican. Professor Zamagni continues to advise international institutions and promote dialogue between economics and social justice.

Her research focusses on regional equality, diversity, and the smart city. She is currently finalising her 10th book; an exploration of European universities’ approach to smart cities and sustainability development goals.

Susan has lectured, managed programmes and departments, and led research projects in universities in Ireland, UK and China.

Dr. C. Chasos is Associate Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Frederick University (Cyprus), where he teaches in undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Dr. Chasos’ research includes CFD modelling and simulation of fuel injection and combustion in automotive and marine internal combustion engines, and the investigation of production, combustion and emissions of alternative fuels. Currently,

He is member in the Management Committees of Cost Action CA22151 “CYPHER” and Cost Action CA20127 “WIRE”, and member of WP7 “Research to education” of EU-CONEXUS-Plus.

Dimitrios G. Skliros holds a Ph. D. degree in Biotechnology from the School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology at the Agricultural Univerisity of Athens (Greece), where he is newly elected as an Assistant Professor at the department of Biotechnology.

His scholarly pursuits are chiefly concentrated on Marine Microbiology and Enbironmental Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology, with a particular focus on the interactions of viruses of microbes with their hosts.

His endeavors also include monitoring and abundance correlation of Environmental Microbiomes to urban and coastal ecosystem.

Gema Roig is a Telecommunications Engineer with over 15 years’ experience in innovation applied to municipal services.

She is a Project Officer at València Innovation Capital, where she specialises in sustainability, smart cities, artificial intelligence, and urban innovation projects. She currently leads initiatives that drive digital transformation and enhance quality of life in Valencia.

Georgeta Bordea is an Assistant Professor in Natural Language Processing for Digital Humanities at the Laboratoire Informatique, Image et Interaction (L3i) of the La Rochelle University (France). She is interested in knowledge extraction from news archives for analysing the reception of cultural works. Georgeta Bordea has broad experience in analysing corpora from different sources and domains including enterprise documents and scientific publications.

Among her contributions she is most proud of setting up an evaluation framework for taxonomy extraction from text and creating one of the first multilingual datasets for this task, which enabled measurable progress in the field.

Hendrik Jansen is Professor for Sustainable Urban Design and Mobility at the University of Rostock (Germany) and co-founder of bjp | bläser jansen partner.

His work focuses on circular land use, urban transformation, and resilient planning. He combines academic research with award-winning planning practice and has published widely on urban mobility, post-pandemic cities, and sustainable development.

Zvjezdan Penezić is Vice-rector for Science and Information Infrastructure and Professor of Psychology in the Univeristy of Zadar (Croatia). With more than 25 years of profesional experience, his scientific work focuses on the study of various aspects of personality, in particular the study of personality traits to understand the subjective well-being and health outcomes of different groups of people.

He is the author and co-author of more than 90 scientific and professional articles published in relevant psychological journals and publications, as well as co-author of four scientific monographs.

Birute Strukcinskiene is Head of Public Health Department in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipeda University (Lithuania), as well as Vice-President of Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion section at the European Association of Public Health (EUPHA).

She is Professor of Medicine and Health Sciences, Medical Doctor (pediatric trauma surgeon). She has become author and co-author of 207 publications and 10 books/textbooks.

Her Research interests include Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, Stress management, Health and Well-Being, Healthy Lifestyle, Child and Young People Health and Safety.

Ingrid Arnaudin is a Senior Scientist at La Rochelle University (France) and holds a PhD in Biochemistry. She focuses on developing bio-inspired solutions derived from molecules produced by natural resources, particularly in the fields of oncology and nutrition.

She has published over 95 articles on the biological properties of oligosaccharides and peptides from algae, microalgae, and marine bacteria. She is also actively involved in European training initiatives and participates in various European and national research programs, including collaborations with commercial partners.

Jens Tränckner is Professor of Water Management at Rostock University (Germany). His academic background includes studies in Land Improvement and Environmental Protection at the University of Rostock, a doctoral dissertation on plant-wide modelling of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), and serving as Team Leader in Drinking Water Treatment and Distribution in Dresden, among other roles.

His research interests include the interface between urban drainage systems and receiving water bodies, process-integrated industrial wastewater treatment, and the recovery of energy and nutrients from wastewater. Tränckner is a member of the Leibniz Campus Phosphorus Research and of the Department of Maritime Systems at Rostock University.

Maria Eugenia Gas López has a PhD in Genetics and 20 years of experience in molecular biology. Since 2019, she has contributed to over 20 eHealth and health data science projects, bridging the public and private sectors with a translational focus.

She has participated in IDERHA, JARDIN, TARTAGLIA, and InnDIH, and currently coordinates OmicSpace, a flagship project for federated health data. She has also taught in master’s programs in precision medicine and biomedicine.

Dr. Sofia Mavrikou is an Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Cell Technology in the Department of Biotechnology at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Greece. She holds a PhD in the development of bioelectric biosensors and in vitro toxicology (2014, AUA), an MSc in Natural Products and Enzyme Technology, and a BSc in Biotechnology from the same institution.

Throughout her career, her research has focused on the development of biosensors, in vitro toxicology, cell and tissue culture, and biochemistry.

She is a recipient of the prestigious IDea Incubator Competition Prize (2nd place) and a prize from the 1st Innovation Competition of the Greek Ministry of Defense. She is also the co-founder of AUA’s spin-off company Ce.B.Tec, a pioneer in diagnostic technology.

Professor Čuka specialises in human geography, focusing on rural and island development, spatial change, and tourism geography. She holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Zadar (Croatia) and a degree in Italian Language and Literature, supporting an interdisciplinary approach.

Her research addresses rural and island dynamics, land use change, depopulation, and sustainable development, contributing to EU-funded and national projects. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses and supervises theses emphasising fieldwork and applied research.

She also serves as Chair of the IGU Islands Commission (2024–2028), is active in ISISA, and collaborates with public institutions and NGOs on planning, environmental management, and sustainable tourism in Mediterranean island communities.

Cristiana Croitoru is Associate Professor and Senior Researcher, Director of UTCB Doctoral School, having secured significant funding as the principal investigator for numerous high-value national and international research projects, including several Horizon 2020/Europe grants focused on urban sustainability and energy efficiency.

Her expertise is demonstrated by her roles as an energy expert for the European Commission, the World Bank and other institutions. She is also a member of National Council for Attesting University Titles, Diplomas and Certificates (CNATDCU) for the Civil Engineering and Management Committee.

Byron Ioannou specializes in climate-neutral urban and spatial planning, with a focus on climate adaptation and mitigation, socially resilient neighbourhoods, sustainable mobility, and public space. He is also an expert in planning policy, development and building regulation.

His experience includes serving on national, European, and international juries, as well as assessment and decision-making bodies for urban design, architecture, and environmental impact assessments.

Vilma Navikienė is Director of Organizational Development at the Port of Klaipėda (Lithuania), specialising in organisational development, human resources, and competence building. She brings extensive experience in the public transport sector and has led key projects in organisational strategy and workforce development.

She is an Assistant Lecturer at South East Technological University (SETU), based at the Wexford Campus, with over 30 years’ experience in marketing and management, specialising in rural development, tourism and coastal enterprises.

She has led a professional programme for fisheries and aquaculture management and previously served as CEO of County Wexford Tourism. Amy is passionate about using tourism to revitalise rural communities and preserve local culture.

She is currently collaborating with Wexford County Council to research the impact of volunteering on community development and pride.

Dr Jaroslav Dvorak is an experienced researcher specialising in public policy, defence sector innovations, and climate-resilient city development. He bridges theory and practice to deliver sustainable, evidence-based solutions and has published widely on public administration, security, and port management.

He is co-author of Global Challenges in Maritime Security, addressing global issues and their potential solutions. Dr Dvorak collaborates with governments, international organisations and NGOs, influencing policy and advancing Lithuania’s defence and Baltic Sea port security strategies.

He holds a PhD and Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Valencia (UV), a Master’s in Finance from the Pontifical University of Comillas (UPC), and a Master’s in Applied Economics from UNED.

He has taught Applied Economics at the University of Valencia (UV), the European University of Valencia (UEV), and the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV). His research focuses on economic efficiency and urban water management.

She has 37 years of academic experience in Germany, the USA, Greece, and Cyprus. Her research focuses on socialisation, counselling, and psychological wellbeing, with a strong emphasis on resilience and positive psychology.

She has published extensively on psychological resilience, mental health, and the impact of parenting and school counselling, exploring protective factors in times of crisis and promoting wellbeing across diverse cultural contexts.

She focuses on integrating sustainability, accessibility, and community engagement principles into Zadar’s policies, digital platforms, and EU co-financed projects.

Her career spans over a decade in public administration and project management, with particular expertise in securing and delivering EU-funded initiatives that promote cultural heritage and tourism, urban mobility, stakeholder engagement, green infrastructure, and social inclusion.

Prof. Helen Hughes is a lecturer in Science at South East Technological University with over 28 years of experience in Quality Management and Inorganic Chemistry. She holds a PhD from DCU and has supervised more than 21 PhD and 2 MSc students, currently mentoring 7 PhD candidates.

Her research has secured over €12 million in funding, resulting in 46 peer-reviewed publications and extensive international collaboration. She has led innovative teaching initiatives, including blended learning MSc programs and industry-linked placements.

She is an active member of several professional bodies, including the Institute of Chemistry of Ireland and EURACHEM, and contributes widely to both academic and public engagement.

Pablo is an environmental social scientist and transdisciplinary action researcher, focusing on the study of patterns, interactions, and feedbacks between human systems and nature. Specialising in policy and institutional analysis, he combines evolutionary and resilience thinking with power and commons perspectives.

His aim is to understand how to organise collective action towards equitable and sustainable outcomes in human–nature interactions across three realms: coastal wetlands, agricultural landscapes, and the soil commons.

His work adopts a complexity science and pluralistic approach, emphasising the co-production of knowledge to address challenges, and embraces uncertainty and surprise through adaptive approaches to decision-making, management, and governance.

He is a researcher specialising in the history of accounting and finance. His work examines the impact of accounting on the environment and individuals in pre-colonial and colonial contexts. He explores how accounting practices shaped economic, social, and environmental outcomes over time.

His research has been recognised with awards at several international conferences. He contributes to advancing historical understanding of accounting and its broader societal implications.

Juan holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from ESIC and has studied Finance at LSE and Entrepreneurship at Stanford GSB. With over four years of experience in open innovation and foodtech, he leads venture and innovation projects at KM ZERO Food Innovation Hub.

He manages startup and investment portfolios, working with over 30 VCs and business angels. As a Venture Scout for Flashpoint, he sources high-potential B2B SaaS startups across Europe. An active investor in GrowthRoad, Bold Drinks, and Tweenvest, he combines financial acumen with a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation.