EURECA-PRO

Igniting Innovation:
The EURECA-PRO Flagship Debut

At the Language Centre of the Technical University of Crete | Chania
25 Sep, 2025
  • Upcoming events

The “Igniting Innovation: The EURECA-PRO Flagship Debut” event marks an important milestone for the EURECA-PRO Alliance. It will highlight the key achievements of the first Core Groups and officially present and establish the first EURECA-PRO Flagships.

Open to all researchers (Professors, Post Docs, PhD Students) of EURECA-PRO Partner Institutions, the event will take place both onsite and online on the 25th of September 2025 at The Language Centre of the Technical University of Crete, in Chania, Crete. 

Target audience:

  • Academics who are already involved in an emerging Flagship, as this will be an opportunity for them to exchange with other academics interested to contribute to its co-construction.
  • Academics who are interested to join the EURECA-PRO momentum and would like to present new ideas or perspectives in relation to the EURECA-PRO strategic challenges for the emergence of new core groups.

Key details

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Event type: Hybrid 

Registration Start Date: 1 July, 2025

Registration End Date: 7th September, 2025

Other information: Will be provided to the selected participants via Moodle

Visit: Full programme

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Benoit Grasser

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Noni Maravelaki

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EURECA-PRO Strategic Challenges and Flagships

10:15 - 11:15

Α. Presentation of the general process for the emergence of flagships
The EURECA-PRO strategic descriptors, concept and development of flagships, flagship as a backbone in a long-term view of the European University, Status of emergence process.
Β. Moving forward towards Flagships Proposals
Share and present research identified in the REVIEW WEEK (Nancy), strengthening networks between academics and moving forward towards the establishment of the first Flagships Proposals.

Eleni Mylona

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Afroditi Fotiou

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Connecting Flagships and the EURECA-PRO I&E Programme

11:30-12:00

Noni Maravelaki

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Wouter Schroeyers

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Marcin Gorski

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Christina De-Nardi

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Michail Galetakis

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Nikos Skoutelis

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Klimis Aslanidis

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Dia Andreouli

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Workshop: Sustainable building materials

12:00-13:30

Full programme

  • 9:30 - 10:00
    Registration
  • 10:00 - 10:15
    Welcome
    Presenter: Welcome and presentation by TUC Vice Rector of Research and Innovation Prof. Konstantinos-Alketas Oungrinis
  • 10:15 - 11:15
    EURECA-PRO Strategic Challenges and Flagships
    Presenters: Benoit Grasser (UL), Noni Maravelaki (TUC)
  • Α. Presentation of the general process for the emergence of flagships
    The EURECA-PRO strategic descriptors, concept and development of flagships, flagship as a backbone in a long-term view of the European University, Status of emergence process.
  • Β. Moving forward towards Flagships Proposals
    Share and present research identified in the REVIEW WEEK (Nancy), strengthening networks between academics and moving forward towards the establishment of the first Flagships Proposals.
  • 11:15 - 11:30
    Coffee Break
  • 11:30 - 12:00
    Connecting Flagships and the EURECA-PRO I&E Programme
    Presenters: Eleni Mylona (TUC) and Afroditi Fotiou (TUC)
  • 12:00 - 13:30
    Workshop: Sustainable building materials
    Presenters: Noni Maravelaki (TUC), Wouter Schroeyers (UH), Marcin Gorski (SUT), Christina De-Nardi (Cardiff University), Michail Galetakis (TUC), Nikos Skoutelis (TUC), Klimis Aslanidis (TUC), Dia Andreouli (MIRTEC)

    "SuMaB is a potential flagship that aims at upgrading research and education through promoting sustainable development in materials for building and boosting added value through innovative and cooperative projects.

    Collaboration with dynamic enterprises of construction sector and research organizations will create an ecosystem, based on quality, innovation and knowledge of new materials and technologies utilization, and will act as a driver of addressing contemporary challenges of high value-added products and services. The Sustainable Materials for Buildings (SuMaB) workshop will address recent issues regarding the role of supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), with a particular emphasis on the specific properties of the novel blends that are derived after the SCMs are integrated into the cementitious matrix. The all-time great use of SCMs in sustainable historic construction, as well as knowledge obtained from studies on the technological aspects of traditional materials regarding sustainability, longevity, and durability, will be addressed. The recycling of aggregates and their potential role in energy saving in cement mixes, along with people's education in accepting and promoting similar initiatives, will also be considered. The discussion will focus on the function of self-healing materials in construction and the experiences of Eureca-Pro PhD students that are pertinent to this subject.

    Contemporary architecture often focuses on consumerism and renewal, but adaptive reuse offers sustainable solutions. This idea was showcased at the Greek pavilion this year at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, at the Venice Biennale, where the proposals of the Technical University of Crete for the restoration of the Venetian Shipyards in Heraklion and Chania were presented.

    Finally, the framework will be finalized by showcasing collaboration with stakeholders and industry, thereby establishing the flagship's sustainable activities' position in the four-pillar framework of research, education, innovation, and third mission."
  • 13:30 - 14:30
    Light Lunch
  • 14:30 - 16:30
    Flagship proposals presentations
    As part of the process for establishing the EURECA-PRO Flagships, and in line with the discussions held during the Review Week in Nancy, researchers from different partner institutions, whose core groups have matured and currently prepare their proposal material according to the submission template, will present their respective Flagship proposals during this session. In particular, (up to) five proposals will be presented on the following topics (tentative titles):
    1. Sustainable Mining
    2. Carbon and Hydrogen Synergies
    3. Sustainable Materials for Building
    4. Humanities for Transitions
    5. Circular Energy Production and Consumption

  • 16:30 - 18:00
    Parallel Sessions (five Strategic Challenges)
    • Strategic Challenge A: led by Noni Maravelaki (TUC), Emmanouil Varouchakis (TUC) & El. Anastasiou (AUTH)
    • Strategic Challenge B: led by Emmanuelle Gurtner (UL) & Dorian Maillard (UL)
    • Strategic Challenge C: led by Wouter Schroeyers (UH)
    • Strategic Challenge D: led by Nikolaos Diangelakis (TUC) & Lefteris Doitsidis (TUC)
    • Strategic Challenge E: led by Despina Dimelli (TUC)
    The purpose of these five parallel workshops (one per Strategic Challenge) is to facilitate the emergence of EURECA-PRO Flagships and further the cooperation among academics and researchers within the Alliance. As such, parallel workshops will be organised in a hybrid format, during which academics will present their ideas for contributing to the emergence of EURECA-PRO Flagships or enriching existing Flagships initiatives. The aim is to identify and share research works, to strengthen networks between academics and to shape future collaborations, as well as to move forward towards concrete Flagships proposals.
  • 18:00
    Wrap-up from the EURECA-PRO team
    Presenter: Benoit Grasser (UL)
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Benoît Grasser

Benoît Grasser is full Professor in Management Sciences at the University of Lorraine. He has been responsible for training programmes in human resources management (bachelor’s and master’s degrees) and has headed a management research laboratory (CEREFIGE, Université de Lorraine). His scientific work focuses on human resource management and organisational theory, and more specifically on the dynamics of competences in organisations. 

He has published several recent articles on the themes of learning, autonomy and collective competence, and co-edited the collective work ‘Managing Competences: Research, Practice, and Contemporary Issues’ (Routledge Taylor & Francis Group) published in 2021. 

He is currently Vice-President of the University of Lorraine (deputy for scientific policy) and Executive Director of the Lorraine Excellence Initiative. Within EURECA-PRO, he is co-leader of WP4.

Noni Maravelaki

Director of Start-up network Saxeed (TUBAF)

Pagona Noni Maravelaki, PhD, Chemist, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Full Professor at the School of Architecture, Founder and Head of the Lab Materials for Cultural Heritage and Modern Building (MaCHMoB) of the Technical University of Crete, Greece, with a 35 years’ experience in materials and techniques used for building renovation and monument conservation. 

She has published more than 180 journal, chapters in books and conference articles, Scopus Author ID: 6603617131, ORCID: 0000-0002-8776-6695, Number of citations: 4069, h-index=33, i10-index=63 (Google Scholar). She has served as Editor and Guest Editor of 3 Books dealing with nanomaterials for Buildings and Conserving Stone Architecture with MDPI and Springer Editions, respectively. She has participated in national and European research projects as project leader (25), principal investigator (15) and as a member of the project team (9). She is member and WP coordinator of the RILEM Technical Committee “LHS-Specifications for testing and evaluation of lime-based repair materials for historic Structures”, and she is serving as Expert in the RILEM Technical Activities Committee, Cluster E: Masonry, Timber and Cultural Heritage. 

She is included in the top 2% Scientists worldwide for her overall research work according to the classification of Stanford University.

Eleni Mylona, Ph.D.

Director of Start-up network Saxeed (TUBAF)

Eleni Mylona joined the TUC-EURECA-PRO team in October 2022. Eleni has been an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Maryland Global College (2010-2020), an Adjunct Scientist (2006-2010), following a Post-Doctoral Fellow position (2005-2006), at the Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, FORTH, Greece, and a Post-Doctoral Fellow position at the Dept. of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology at Emory University School of Medicine, USA (2003-2005). 

Eleni earned her Doctoral degree in Applied Physiology, with a minor in Cell/Molecular Biology and her Master degree in Exercise Science, both with distinction, from the Department of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Toledo, USA, in 2003 and 1998, respectively. Her undergraduate degree (B.Sc.) in Physical Education and Exercise Science was completed with distinction at the Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece, in 1996. Eleni’s research focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms that dictate cell movement in skeletal muscles inflammation and repair as well as the mechanical and chemical cues that affect cancer cell metastasis. Eleni has taught a number of lectures and laboratory classes in Biology and Physiology, both at the undergraduate and graduate level at The University of Toledo, Emory University, and the University of Maryland Global Campus. She has received the “Outstanding Teaching Award” for three consecutive years (2019 to 2022) as well as nominated for the “Drazek Teaching Excellence Award” for faculty at UMGC (2013). Her published research work includes 10 journal papers and according to Google Scholar, has been cited more than 800 times by other researchers (h-index: 11). 

As a member of EURECA-PRO, Eleni collaboratively and actively designs and implements courses, mainly in the area of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E).

Afroditi Fotiou

Director of Start-up network Saxeed (TUBAF)

Afroditi Fotiou is a Civil Engineer (M.Sc.) with academic and professional background in sustainable construction and cultural heritage preservation. A graduate of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA, 2007), she further specialized with postgraduate studies in Energy Efficiency in the Building Sector (Technical University of Munich, 2010) and the Integrated Protection of Historically Built Environment (Technical University of Crete, 2018). 

Since 2014, she has been a Research Associate at the Technical University of Crete (TUC), contributing to European and national research projects in energy efficiency, renewable resources, and traditional/innovative building materials for both cultural heritage conservation and modern sustainable construction.

As an active member of the EURECA-PRO TUC team (since 2021), she has played key roles in education, research and innovation, serving as Academic Coordinator in Phase 1.0, while also driving Capacity Building initiatives and contributing to the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programme in Phase 2.0.

Wouter Schroeyers

Director of Start-up network Saxeed (TUBAF)

Prof. dr. Wouter Schroeyers is Full Professor for Nuclear Technology at Hasselt University. 

He is the head of the educational management team for Nuclear Technology and researcher at the Nuclear Technology research group (NuTeC) of the Centre for Environmental Sciences (CMK). He has over 15 years’ experience in researching the radiological and environmental aspects of residue recycling and waste management. Formerly, he was the chair of the COST Action NORM4Building (2014-2017). 

Currently, he is PI for UHasselt for the H2020 RadoNORM project. His main research interests are the recycling of NORM, characterisation of residues during nuclear decommissioning and immobilisation of radiological residues in cementitious binders.

Marcin Gorski

Associate Professor in the Department of Structural Engineering at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Silesian University of Technology.

Director of the Centre for Project Management at SUT

EURECA-PRO Institutional Coordinator at SUT, member of the EURECA-PRO Executive Board.

National delegate of Poland in fib (Switzerland). Board member of LEAD Academic Network (Belgium) and Business Innovation Networks BIN@ (Portugal). 

From 2009 to 2011 professor at Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilha, Portugal.

In 2016, visiting professor at Universidad Tecnológica de Bolivar, Cartagena, Colombia.

Coordinator of the Circular Economy Priority Research Subarea at SUT.

Author and co-author of over 200 scientific publications. GPM, PM, PI in over 40 international projects. Specialising in innovative structural materials (composites, alkali-activated materials, etc.), biomimetic smart structures and functional materials in construction, utilisation and immobilisation of industrial by-products in construction.

Prof. Górski has held numerous scientific, teaching and industrial internships and secondments in Portugal, Italy, Spain, China, etc.

Cristina De Nardi

Dr. Cristina De Nardi is a Chartered Architect (ARB, RIBA) with over 15 years of experience in restoration, retrofitting operations, and site supervision in Venice. She currently serves as a Leverhulme Research Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering at Cardiff University. 

Dr. De Nardi has focused her research on developing sustainable, cementitious, biomimetic construction materials that offer enhanced longevity and reduced environmental impact. She now focuses on biomimetic self-healing technologies for built heritage, including coated granules, 4D printing vascular and mini-vascular networks within lime-based mortar matrices.

 She holds a Ph.D. in Innovation for building and cultural heritage and has contributed to EPSRC-funded projects.

Dr. Michael Galetakis

Dr. Michael Galetakis received his Diploma in Mining Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and his PhD Degree in raw materials exploitation from the Technical University of Crete, School of Mineral Resources Engineering. He is the director of the Research Unit of Quality Control – Health and Safety in the Minerals Industry and he has taught several courses in both undergraduate and graduate programs as well as in invited lectures. He has supervised 40 Diploma and 16 Master thesis, one PhD and he is supervisor of 4 ongoing PhD thesis and member of the advisory committee of five PhDs. He has received the outstanding teaching award for the academic year 2015-2016. Dr. Michael Galetakis has coordinated 20 European and national research projects and has been involved as researcher several others. 

He is a member of the editorial board and reviewer in scientific journals and has participated in the scientific or organizing committee of several conferences. Dr. Michael Galetakis is an accredited mining and metallurgical engineer, a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece and of several European scientific organizations. His research interests include diverse topics in raw material exploitation as well as in mineral by-products and wastes utilization in building industry.

Nikos Skoutelis

Nikos Skoutelis – Professor in the School of Architectural Engineering of the Technical University of Crete. Born in Heraklion of Crete (1962). Graduated from I.U.A.V. – Venice (1987). Phd N.T.U.A. (2006) He worked in collaboration with Flavio Zanon, in Venice from July 1987 and in Heraklion since 1993 on public and private projects.

Key works: Eleftherias Square Heraklion (1993-99) National Resistance Monument in Damasta – Heraklion (1996) Grypareion cultural center, Mykonos(2002-04) and Main restoration projects: “Restoration and reuse of the western Venetian arsenals” in Heraklion (1994-96), “Restoration of the villa Ariadne of sir A.Evans in Knossos” (1994-96), “Protection shelters for the roman villa Dionyssus in Knossos” (1996-98), “Restoration and new uses for the Frangokastello fortress” in Sfakia’ Crete (2015-16), “Restoration and reuse of the venetian shipyards in Chania” Crete (2021-23), ), “Restoration and reuse of the venetian shipyards in Heraklion” Crete (2022-23).

His theoretical works concern: landscape, architecture and the city of the renaissance; the theory of restoration and the contribution of history as a tool in architectural design.

Klimis Aslanidis

Klimis Aslanidis studied architecture at the National Technical University of Athens and continued with an MA in Conservation Studies at the University of York and a PhD at the University of Patras, where he also conducted post-doctoral research. He has designed and supervised various conservation projects for buildings of different dates and scales as an architect at the Greek Ministry of Culture (Athens, ancient theatre of Dionysos) or as a free-lancer. Projects range from small-scale buildings, such as the 8th century Hagia Kyriaki on Naxos, which received the Grand Prix of the European Heritage -Europa Nostra Awards in 2018, to larger constructions, such as the 19th century Athens Cathedral. 

Since 2018, he has been a faculty member at the School of Architecture of the Technical University of Crete, where he teaches architectural design and conservation of historic buildings. As a co-founder and member of the Laboratory for the Documentation and Conservation of Historic Buildings and Sites of the same faculty, he is involved in large-scale conservation projects, such as the Venetian shipyards of Chania and Heraklion in Crete, which are exhibited at the Greek Pavilion of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia (2025), the castles of Mytilene and Molyvos on Lesvos, the castle of Methoni in the Peloponnese, the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes and the earthquake-stricken church of the Panagia on Samos. 

He is co-editor of the book series “Notebooks of Architectural Conservation”, published by the same laboratory.

Dia Andreouli

Dr. Dia Andreouli is the Head of Research & Development at MIRTEC, overseeing activities within the framework of national and European-funded projects, as well as strategic collaborations with industry.

She has extensive expertise in industrial research and project management in the fields of advanced ceramics and coatings, innovative building materials and sustainable construction, advanced materials for energy, additive manufacturing, and circular economy. She has participated in numerous co-funded projects and is the inventor of five patents (national, European, and international). Her scientific work includes over 26 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.

Through laboratory-scale development and leading pilot-scale manufacturing, she has successfully translated research results into commercially viable products, many of which have been introduced into demanding markets in Europe and the United States.
She is a member of the Advisory Working Group of the Greek Ministry of Development for the National Strategy for R&D&I contributing to the strategic area “Materials-Construction-Manufacturing” .

Dr. Andreouli also led the establishment of Cluster e-CODOMH, the first Greek business cluster for the construction sector, and continues to spearhead its growth and strategic positioning in Greece and Europe, fostering collaboration between the Greek construction ecosystem and the European innovation networks.