Team members
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Jocelyne Zablit
Jocelyne Zablit, AFP deputy editor-in-chief for Europe, is a journalist with more than three decades of professional experience. She is currently leading several projects in Europe focused on fact-checking and disinformation. She has managed several AFP bureaus and was most recently head of the US West Coast office in Los Angeles. Prior to that, she was head of the AFP English Europe/Africa Desk and AFP Bureau Chief in Beirut.
Andreas Veglis
Andreas Veglis is Professor, head of the Media Informatics Lab at the School of Journalism & Mass Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He received his BSc in Physics, MSc in Electronics and Communications, and PhD in Computer Science, all from Aristotle University. His research interests include information technology in journalism, new media, algorithmic journalism, data journalism, open data and content verification. He has published in books and international journals like Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies, Journal of Greek Media & Culture, Digital Journalism, Studies in Media and Communication, Computers in Human Behavior, International Journal of Monitoring and Surveillance Technologies Research, International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Information Technology, International Journal of Computers and Communications, International Journal of E-Politics, Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, International Communication Gazette, Publishing Research Quarterly, International Journal of Electronic Governance, Journalism, Austral Comunicación, Journalism Practice, Future Journalism, Social Sciences. He is the author or co-author of 51 books and book chapters, he has published more than 100 papers on scientific journals, and he has presented 140 papers in international and national Conferences. Professor Veglis has been involved in 43 national and international research projects.
Dr. Charalampos A. Dimoulas
Dr. Charalampos A. Dimoulas holds a diploma and a PhD degree from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). He received scholarship on post-doctoral research at the Laboratory of Electronic Media, School of Journalism and Mass Communications, AUTh. Both his doctoral dissertation and his post-doc research deal with advanced audio-visual processing and content management techniques for intelligent analysis of prolonged multi-channel recordings. He is one of the authors of the book Cross-Media Authentication and Verification: Emerging Research and Opportunities. His current scientific interests include media technologies, audiovisual signal processing, machine learning, multimedia semantics, cross-media authentication, digital audio and audiovisual forensics and more. He is currently serving as a Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications (AUTh), being also the director of the Laboratory of Electronic Media. Dr. Dimoulas has participated in over 30 national and international research projects. He is a member of IEEE, EURASIP and AES, serving as a JAES associate editor on signal processing and audio semantics. He is also a member of the Multidisciplinary Media & Mediated Communication Research Group (M3C) and participates in the initiative for the Greek media misinformation observatory (https://ellpap.gr/).
Dr. Anastasia Katsaounidou
Dr. Anastasia Katsaounidou received her under-Graduate Diploma in Political Sciences from Faculty of Law, Economic and Political Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Auth) in 2013 and her Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and New Media from School of Journalism & Mass Communications, Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences, Auth in 2016. Her Master Thesis deals with “Content authenticity issues: detection of untruthful news stories from humans and machines.” She holds a Ph.D. in the School of Journalism & Mass Media Communications researching Interactive and collaborative environments to support digital content authentication. She is the author of the book “Cross-Media Authentication and Verification: Emerging Research and Opportunities” and the co-author of other publications that study οnline Journalism and misinformation. She currently is a postdoctoral researcher at National and Kapodistrian University of Athen and cooperates as an Adjunct Professor with both Ionian and Aristotle University. Moreover, in the past she has collaborated with the fact-checking organization “Ellinika Hoaxes” as a journalist (fact-checker). Her research interests include Journalism, misinformation, disinformation, propaganda, social media, user-generated content, User eXperience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design, non-linear storytelling and authoring content for interactive media, mediated learning, multimedia, media authentication.
Efthimis Kotenidis
Efthimis Kotenidis is a PhD candidate specializing in computational journalism and automation in the media sphere. He is a member of the Media Informatics Lab of the School of Journalism and Mass Communications of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. He is a holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, as well as a Master’s degree in Advanced Computing and Communication systems, both from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He specializes in audiovisual information and communication technologies, with particular emphasis in the fields of production and education. Currently he is a teaching fellow in the department of Communication and Digital Media of the University of Western Macedonia in Kastoria, Greece. Presently, some of his research interests include Artificial Intelligence, chatbots and automation in the media sphere, as well as information verification.
Dr. Theodora Saridou
Dr. Theodora Saridou received her BSc in Law from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). She holds a master and a PhD degree from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, AUTh. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on the changing conditions in media organizations through the lens of audience participation in the news production process and the arising ethical and legal issues in the field. Her research interests include participatory journalism, user-generated content, churnalism and online news production. She has professional experience as a journalist, while part of her research has been published in leading academic journals and presented in international conferences. She has been working in the management of national and European projects and as a research assistant on topics such as online hate speech prevention, enhancement of research understanding through media and technology harnessing for journalism.
Eleni Siamtanidou
Eleni Siamtanidou was born in Thessaloniki, Greece. She completed her studies at the School of Primary Education, Faculty of Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and received her Teacher’s diploma degree in 2018. She completed the interdisciplinary post–graduate program “Advanced Computer and Communication Systems” at the Polytechnic School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and received her master’s degree in the direction of Multimedia Technologies for Media Production and Education in 2020. She is currently a PhD candidate/researcher at the School of Journalism & Mass Communications researching the technologies of gamification and mediated education in digital literacy. At the same time, she works as a Primary School Teacher. Her interests include informal education, alternative learning methods, media literacy, media authentication, multimedia technologies, user interface, and user experience design (UI & UX Design).
Dr. Nikolaos Vryzas
Dr. Nikolaos Vryzas was born in Thessaloniki in 1990. He studied Electrical & Computer Engineering in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh). After graduating, he received his master degrees on Information and Communication Audio Video Technologies for Education & Production from the Interdepartmental/Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Program on Advanced Computer and Communication Systems of the AUTh. In 2020 he obtained his Ph.D. diploma from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, on audiovisual stream management automations for digital media and mediated communication. His doctorate research was supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI). In the past years he has been working as a research assistant in european projects on topics of multimodal (audio/video/text) semantic analysis (PHARM-Preventing Hate Against Refugees and Migrants, SOCIO-BEE – Wearables and droneS fOr CIty Socio-Environmental Observations and BEhavioral ChangE), and as an adjunct professor in the School of Journalism of AUTh.
Nikos Papapolizos
Nikos Papapolizos is Project Manager at the ATC Innovation Lab. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government & Politics and a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Essex, UK. He has worked for over 15 years as Project Manager and Content Manager of web portals and collaborated with various companies as social media consultant and community manager. At ATC he is involved in online research projects and in activities related to content and web management.
Danae Tsabouraki
Danae Tsabouraki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Sociology of Law from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UoA), as well as a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). She has been practicing law since 2012, mainly in the fields of civil and corporate law (intellectual property, data protection, contracts, competition law, etc.). Danae has been working at the ATC Innovation Lab since 2011 as Junior Researcher and since 2018 as Project Manager in EU R&D funded projects, with a focus on the media sector and disinformation. She is currently involved among others in the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) as operations consultant.
Christos Gavalas
Christos Gavalas is a digital journalist from Athens, Greece. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Athens University of Economics and Business, a MA in Broadcast Journalism from NYU and a diploma of Data Journalism at Columbia University as a Stavros Niarchos Foundation Fellow. He has worked as a journalist for the Greek version of Microsoft’s MSN, for the digital desk of MEGA TV in Athens and for CNN both in New York and in Greece, where he anchored its first daily newscast.
Dr. Ioannis (Yiannis) Kompatsiaris
Dr. Ioannis (Yiannis) Kompatsiaris is the Director of the Information Technologies Institute, Research Director at CERTH-ITI and the Head of Multimedia Knowledge and Social Media Analytics Laboratory. Yiannis is the Principal Investigator on behalf of CERTH.
Dr. Nikos Sarris
Dr. Nikos Sarris is a Senior Researcher at MeVer with more than 20 years experience in R&D projects as a researcher, project manager and coordinator of large multinational consortia. He was the coordinator of the SOMA project which established the first European observatory against disinformation and has been a member in the Executive Board of EDMO, currently serving in the EDMO Management Committee. Nikos is the Project Coordinator of MedDMO.
Dr. Symeon (Akis) Papadopoulos
Dr. Symeon (Akis) Papadopoulos is Senior Researcher (Grade B’) and director of MeVer. His research focuses on the intersection of multimedia understanding, social network analysis, information retrieval, big data management and artificial intelligence. Akis is the Technical Coordinator of MedDMO.
Dr. Evangelia Kartsounidou
Dr. Evangelia Kartsounidou is Political analyst and survey methodologist in MeVer focusing on web surveys and data quality, using new technologies and web-based tools. She supports the research on the impact assessment of disinformation and the conduction of the online surveys and experiments.
Efthimios Hamilos
Efthimios Hamilos is a Surveyor engineer, Msc in Accounting and Finance, researcher and project manager in MeVer. As a Quality Assurance Manager of MedDMO he supports coordinating activities and ensures that the project outcomes meet high quality standards.
Michael Sirivianos
Michael Sirivianos is an Associate Professor of Computer Engineering and Informatics at the Cyprus University of Technology. He researches ways to help social media users tell lies apart. His research on fringe web communities hate speech, disinformation, and disturbing content on YouTube had extensive coverage in major news outlets, including The New York Times, Washington Post, etc. He is also the acting director of the Social Computing Research Center at the Cyprus University of Technology and serves on the Board of the CYENS Centre of Excellence.
Nikos Salamanos
Nikos Salamanos is a post-doctoral researcher at the Cyprus University of Technology. His main research interests focus on central problems in complex network analysis, such as identifying influential/central nodes, graph sampling, and link prediction. He is also very interested in data-driven studies of collective and dynamic behavior in networks, such as social influence, diffusion of information, and epidemic models.
Pantelitsa Leonidou
Pantelitsa Leonidou is a researcher and a Ph.D. Student (started in 2021) under the supervision of Dr. Michael Sirivianos at Cyprus University of Technology. Her research interests focus on how to help users stay safe in online social networks by mitigating harmful content such as misinformation, hate speech, cyberbullying, toxicity, etc.. She studies privacy-preserving techniques to automatically detect harmful content (Machine Learning, Federated Learning).
Theodoros Christofides
Theodoros Christofides is a Ph.D. Student and a Special Scientist C / Project Manager at the Cyprus University of Technology. His research interests lie in security in social networks, device-centric authentication, Cybersafety, and AI in Finance. He has experience managing research projects while working on EU-funded projects such as ReCRED, ENCASE, INCOGNITO, SECONDO, CONCORDIA, CYBERSAFETY, and AERAS.
Stylianos Pournis
Stelios Pournis, a journalism and mass media graduate from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, is a journalist and fact-checker at Ellinika Hoaxes. He holds a master's degree in risk communication, specializing in crisis journalism. His research focused on utilizing OSINT to counter wartime propaganda. He is a member of the Union of Editors of Daily Newspapers of Macedonia-Thrace (ESIEMTH) and holds accreditation as a Police Editor.
Ġorġ Mallia
Ġorġ Mallia is a Professor of Communications and the Head of the Department of Media and Communications at the University of Malta. His research is primarily in visual narrative and visual communications, educational technologies, and personal communications. He is also a published author, illustrator and cartoonist.
Neville Borg
Neville Borg runs Times of Malta's fact-checking service, responsible for identifying misinformation and producing fact-checks. He has worked as a researcher within several institutional settings for over ten years, in various fields, including culture and the arts, health, economics, and digital media. He previously held the role of lead researcher at Arts Council Malta. Borg is also a founding member of Wikimedia Community Malta, an organisation working to improve factual, reliable and verifiable knowledge about Malta and Maltese social and cultural issues through Wikipedia.
Theodora Maniou
Dr Theodora A. Maniou is an Assistant Professor in Journalism at the Department of Social & Political Sciences, University of Cyprus. She holds a PhD & a BA in Journalism (School of Journalism & MC, Aristotle University, Greece), and an MA in Communication’s Policy Studies (City, University of London, UK). Her area of specialization focuses on journalism practice, broadcast/multimedia journalism and media systems.
Costas Constandinides
Dr Costas Constandinides is Lecturer in Audiovisual Media in the Department of Social and Political Sciences (Journalism Program) at the University of Cyprus. He holds a Doctorate degree (2004-2008) and a Postgraduate degree (2002-2003) from the University of Reading, Department of Film Theatre and Television, where he taught Introductory courses specific to Television and Film Studies, and an undergraduate degree (2002) from the University of Cyprus, Department of English Studies. He was previously a faculty member in the Department of Communications at the University of Nicosia (2007-2021). His research focuses on the move of fictional and factual content across media, and on screen media practices within the context of transnational screen cultures. He is the author of From Film Adaptation to Post-celluloid Adaptation (Continuum, 2010; Bloomsbury, 2012) and co-editor (with Yiannis Papadakis) of Cypriot Cinemas: Memory, Conflict and Identity in the Margins of Europe (Bloomsbury, 2014). He is a member of the European Film Academy.
Dimitrios Giomelakis
Dr Dimitrios Giomelakis is a Special Research Scientist in the Department of Social and Political Sciences (Journalism Program) at the University of Cyprus. He received his PhD in journalism studies from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and his doctoral dissertation investigated the use and impact of different technological tools and internet services on news media websites and journalistic content. He holds a BA in Journalism and an MSc degree in Information and Communication Technologies, which focused on audio-visual production and education. Among his research interests are news and journalism studies, online journalism, media technology, SEO, Web/Digital Analytics, news content verification, and social media. His work has been published in edited volumes, conference proceedings and well-known referred journals in the field of media and communication studies such as Digital Journalism, Journalism Studies and Journalism Practice.
