Cyprus University of Technology: Academic of the CUT becomes member of the European Academy of Young Scientists

Dr Athos Agapios, Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil and Geoinformatics Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology, was unanimously elected as a member of the Young Academy of Europe.

The European Academy of Young Scientists is an independent, interdisciplinary organisation that brings together young scientists from across Europe to promote scientific excellence, interdisciplinary cooperation and science policy making. Mr Agapios was selected following a unanimous decision of the YAE Selection Committee, recognising his significant contribution to the field of science and his active participation in research activities.

Dr. Agapiou has experience in the development and application of innovative remote sensing and geoinformatics technologies for the conservation and management of cultural heritage. He has led or participated in a number of research projects funded by programmes such as Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020, and has also developed collaborations with leading research institutions in Europe. His interdisciplinary activities have contributed to the study and observation of archaeological sites, using satellite remote sensing and geoinformatics methods.

Membership of the European Academy of Young Scientists offers a unique platform for collaboration with internationally renowned scientists and participation in the formulation of scientific and cultural policies at European level. Mr Agapios’ acceptance is a significant distinction for both him and the Cyprus University of Technology, highlighting the importance of research and scientific cooperation.

About the work of Dr. Agapios

Dr. Agapiou is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil and Geoinformatics Engineering of the Cyprus University of Technology since 2021, holding the chair “Geoinformatics and Earth Observation”, while he is the coordinator of the research activities of the EOCult laboratory.

Since 2022 he is the Deputy Director of the UNESCO Chair in the field of “Digital Cultural Heritage” which aims to preserve and enhance cultural heritage through collaboration with national and international partners.

He is also the scientific manager of the European project “Civil engineering and geomatics innovative research on heritage” with the acronym ENGINEER. This project focuses on innovative research fields dealing with documentation, digitisation, visualisation, data exchange, structural design, seismic and conservation engineering of cultural heritage, including monuments and landscapes. He is also the coordinator of the CONNECTING strategic research infrastructure.

His scientific interests include the fields of Earth Observation and Geoinformatics dedicated to archaeological research and cultural heritage landscapes. For his overall research work, he has been awarded the “Young Researcher 2018” award in the annual Cyprus Research Awards by the Research Promotion Foundation (RPI). Also, according to a Stanford University survey first published in 2020, his name is among the top 2% of researchers in the world in his scientific field in annual reports.

In 2023 he has been awarded the 1st Young Scientist Award by the Young Scientist Innovation Network (YSIN) of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE). The Young Scientist Award has been established to recognize and honor outstanding young scientists who are active in the field of Digital Earth and who develop innovative research ideas that improve society and the environment.

Moreover, based on the findings of a recent (global) survey (2024) published in the prestigious scientific journal Heritage Science, published by Springer, Dr. Agapiou is among the three researchers worldwide whose research and related publications receive extensive attention and references from the scientific community on issues related to Geoinformatics applications for cultural heritage. In a similar independent survey (2022) published in the same journal on the rapid developments taking place in the field, related to the fourth industrial revolution and its applications to cultural heritage studies, his name was included in the list of the top ten researchers worldwide whose research is influencing the scientific community.

About the European Academy of Young Scientists

Founded in 2012, the Young Academy of Europe is an organisation that brings together leading young researchers and scientists from all European countries. The Academy’s members come from the fields of humanities and social sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, as well as mathematics and medicine.

The elected members of the Academy are young scientists who meet the following criteria:

  • They are outstanding researchers with internationally recognised distinctions.
  • They have demonstrated a strong interest in science and science policies at European level
  • They have demonstrated leadership skills through the coordination of a research project/team or the successful supervision of PhD students.
  • Conduct research within the European Union.
  • Have obtained their doctoral degree within the last 12 years.

The YAE seeks to widen participation across Europe and in all scientific fields.

Source: Cyprus University of Technology | News and Announcements (https://shorturl.at/4cANF)