Sotia Demetriade
Project Coordinator
Miss Sotia Demetriade (UCY) holds a BSc in Biology from Lancaster University (UK), an MSc in Marine Science and Management from Sydney University, and a PGCert in Environmental Management from UNSW (Australia). Her BSc established a foundation in statistical analysis of biological systems, which she built upon during her MSc, focusing on sedimentary processes, numerical analysis, and coastal simulations. Her MSc thesis examined hydrodynamic simulations and sedimentary movements in Sydney’s estuarine beaches. Her research interests include coastal and environmental modeling, coastal geomorphology, and marine management.
Since September 2021, Miss Demetriade has been pursuing a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cyprus, completing coursework in environmental fluid mechanics, renewable energies, and coastal engineering while assisting in undergraduate courses. She has also worked at the Oceanographic Centre of UCY and, more recently, she is established at MER Lab Ltd.Her strong organizational and management skills enable her to excel in academic and professional responsibilities. Through the ACE project, she aims to further develop expertise in coastal simulations, sediment transport methodologies, and marine management.
Dr. Dimitris Stagonas
Academic Supervisor
Dr. Dimitris Stagonas, a lecturer in Coastal Engineering at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UCY, is an accomplished researcher with 23 journal papers and over 35 conference contributions. His innovative work has advanced the simulation of breaking waves, wave-current interactions, and wave-induced pressures, earning widespread adoption in academic studies and integration into research projects at institutions like the University of Plymouth and IIT Madras. His paper on breaking wave simulations was the most-read in its journal for two years.
Dr. Stagonas has secured €210k in EC funding since 2012 for projects on coastal flood defenses and breakwaters, leading interdisciplinary teams across six universities. His research has significant real-world impact, such as developing beach protection strategies and collaborating with industry to reduce the costs of simulating wave kinematics by 80%. He has also contributed to understanding climate change impacts on the Arctic and maritime industry.
Through this project, Dr. Stagonas aims to enhance UCY’s technical and scientific capacity to study climate change impacts on coastlines, foster collaborations with MER Ltd, and integrate data science into coastal engineering. By engaging with local stakeholders and authorities, he seeks to accelerate the societal impact of his research in Cyprus.
Dr. Demetris Kletou
Industrial Supervisor
Dr. Demetris Kletou is the Director of Marine & Environmental Research (MER) Lab Ltd., which he founded in Cyprus in 2008. He holds a BSc and MSc in Marine Biology from Florida Atlantic University and a PhD from the University of Plymouth, where he studied human impacts on oligotrophic marine ecosystems. Dr. Kletou has led over 30 research projects, including high-profile initiatives like the EU LIFE RELIONMED project (€1.67M) and the mapping and evaluation of Cyprus’ coastal ecosystems (€0.8M). He is currently coordinating monitoring programs for Non-Indigenous Species in Marine Protected Areas.
Dr. Kletou has also contributed to major EU-funded projects, such as FP7 IDREEM (€5.7M) and OIKAΠΑΒ (€240,096), where he led multiple work packages. As an environmental consultant, he advises industries such as oil and gas, aquaculture, and marina development, as well as government bodies on environmental impact assessments. An experienced Navy Seal graduate, certified diver, and boat captain, Dr. Kletou combines field expertise with academic rigor, having published over 30 peer-reviewed articles on marine biology, ecology, and fisheries, and presenting at numerous international conferences.