Anastasia Kakouri | Environmental Health | Young Scientist Award

Ms. Anastasia Kakouri | Environmental Health | Young Scientist Award

PhD Candidate, Department of the Environment/University Of The Aegean, Greece

Anastasia Kakouri is a highly accomplished senior GIS Specialist and PhD researcher specializing in atmospheric pollution and population exposure at the National Observatory of Athens. With a profound background in geography and geoinformatics, she has applied her expertise to spatial analysis, remote sensing, and machine learning for air quality prediction and assessment. Her research integrates high-resolution emission inventories, socio-economic data, and health parameters to address environmental challenges at urban and intra-urban scales. She is actively contributing to the intersection of air quality, sustainability, and environmental justice. As a funded researcher by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI), Kakouri’s work is influencing the management of environmental risks in Greece. Her multi-disciplinary approach is fundamental to developing tools for informed decision-making in public health and urban planning.

Profile

Scopus

Education 

Anastasia Kakouri holds a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Geography and Applied Geoinformatics from the University of the Aegean, Greece, where she specialized in Applied Geoinformatics for the Management of the Natural Environment and Risks. This advanced education in geospatial technologies laid the foundation for her expertise in atmospheric pollution and spatial analysis. Prior to her Master’s, she earned a Bachelor’s degree (BSc) in Environmental Science from the same university’s Department of Environment. Her academic journey was marked by a focus on integrating geoinformatics tools for environmental monitoring and risk management. Kakouri’s ongoing PhD research, funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI), aims to advance the understanding of air quality and population exposure, contributing to sustainable urban development and public health policies. Her educational background and research skills form a strong base for innovative solutions in environmental science and geoinformatics.

Research Focus

Anastasia Kakouri’s research focuses on the synergy of Earth observations and geoinformatic tools to address urban atmospheric pollution and population exposure. Her primary interest lies in the application of machine learning techniques to predict air quality and assess the health impacts of pollution on populations, with a specific emphasis on urban and intra-urban environments. Kakouri is actively involved in the development of high-resolution emission inventories and the integration of remote sensing data with geostatistical models to improve spatial analysis of air pollution. Her work explores the connections between air quality, public health, and socio-economic parameters, aiming to create tools for informed decision-making at local and regional levels. Kakouri also investigates sustainability and environmental justice, ensuring that her research not only improves urban planning and environmental monitoring but also addresses health inequalities in pollution-affected areas. Her studies contribute to the broader understanding of air pollution dynamics in relation to human well-being.

Publications 

  • “Spatiotemporal modeling of long-term PM concentrations and population exposure in Greece, using machine learning and statistical methods” 🌍📊
  • “Analysis of secondary inorganic aerosols over the greater Athens area using the EPISODE-CityChem source dispersion and photochemistry model” 🌫️💨
  • “NOx emissions by real-world fresh and old asphalt mixtures: Impact of temperature, relative humidity, and UV-irradiation” 🚗🌞
  • “Enhancing air quality data from multiple platforms towards geospatial health-related information in the intra-urban environment” 🏙️📡
  • “Five years of spatially resolved ground-based max-doas measurements of nitrogen dioxide in the urban area of Athens: Synergies with in situ measurements and model simulations” 🏙️📍
  • “The urbem hybrid method to derive high-resolution emissions for city-scale air quality modeling” 🔬🌆
  • “Integrating in situ Measurements and City Scale Modelling to Assess the COVID– Lockdown Effects on Emissions and Air Quality in Athens, Greece” 🦠💨

Rima Isaifan | human health | Women Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rima Isaifan | human health | Women Researcher Award

Associate Professor, Cambridge C University, Qatar

🌿 Dr. Rima Isaifan is an Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences at Cambridge Corporate University, Lucerne, Switzerland. With a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Ottawa, she has made significant contributions to the fields of sustainable development and environmental protection. Her extensive research focuses on climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainable urban development, particularly in the Middle Eastern context. 🌍

Publication Profile

Scopus

Education

🎓 Dr. Isaifan earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering (Chemical and Biological Engineering) from the University of Ottawa in 2014. Her academic background blends environmental and chemical sciences, making her an expert in sustainable environmental solutions.

Experience

💼 Currently an Associate Professor at Cambridge Corporate University, Switzerland, Dr. Isaifan has a wealth of teaching and research experience in environmental sciences. She has also collaborated with multiple research institutions, contributing her knowledge to various climate and sustainability initiatives in the Middle East.

Research Focus

🔬 Dr. Isaifan’s research revolves around environmental sustainability, climate change, and the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions. She has also explored urban development strategies, especially in the Middle East, focusing on sustainable transportation and urban renewal projects. Her work aims to create practical solutions to mitigate climate change. 🌱

Awards and Honors

🏅 Dr. Isaifan’s outstanding contributions to environmental research and sustainability have earned her recognition in academic and professional communities. She continues to push boundaries in environmental policy and science, especially regarding climate change action in Arab countries. 🌍

Publication Highlights

📚 Dr. Isaifan has published extensively in top-tier journals. Some of her notable works include:

Transit-Oriented Development in Middle Eastern Cities: The Urban Renewal Framework for the Souq Waqif in Doha, Qatar (2024) in Urban Science, DOI: 10.3390/urbansci8040182

Correction: Al-Jabir, M.; Isaifan, R.J. Long-Term Projection of Transport-Related Social Cost of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Qatar (2024) in Sustainability, DOI: 10.3390/su16198422

Strategic plans to support action against climate change in the Arab countries in the Middle East Region (2024) in Journal of Sustainable Development Law and Policy, DOI: 10.4314/jsdlp.v15i1.11

Long-Term Projection of Transport-Related Social Cost of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Qatar (2024) in Sustainability, DOI: 10.3390/su16020536