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Dr. George Zalidis

George Zalidis is an Emeritus Professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he previously served as Professor of Soil Pollution and Degradation and Director of the Laboratories of Applied Soil Science and Remote Sensing, Spectroscopy and GIS. He holds a degree in Agriculture and a PhD in Soil Science from Aristotle University, and completed post-doctoral research in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University. Since 2007, he has been Scientific Director of the Interbalkan Environment Center (i-BEC).

His research focuses on Earth Observation (EO) data and services supporting GEO Social Benefit Areas and the UN SDGs, including spectral monitoring of agricultural and natural ecosystems, NEXUS-based environmental management, and circular-economy applications such as carbon-footprint protocols.

He has coordinated more than 150 national and European projects, published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, authored books and reports, served on international committees, and supervised numerous doctoral theses in Greece and the United States.

Dr. Konstantinos Tsimpoukas

Tsimpoukas Konstantinos is Professor of the Laboratory of Agribusiness Management, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development in the Agricultural University of Athens. He is a graduate from the Agricultural University of Athens and has a M.Sc. from the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier , D.E.A. and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics  of Montpellier III University, France.

He teaches Rural Economy & Policy, Introduction in Agricultural Economics, Farm Management and Economics of Animal Production at undergraduate level and Economics of Animal Production and Farm Management at postgraduate level. His research interests focus in techno-economic analysis of agricultural production systems and in decisions making at farm level. He participates in research projects (national and EU funded) as a coordinator and researcher in areas concerning economic analysis of agricultural production systems and economic viability at farm level.

Mr. Xenophon Kappas

Since 2011 he is the General Director of “Captain Vassilis & Carmen Constantakopoulos” Foundation, promoting and supporting sustainable development in Greece. He has worked with various organisations from different positions gaining an extensive experience on issues of sustainable development and social cohesion. His previous professional experience was in similar positions in organisations and companies related to sustainable management and development. Since his youth he is active volunteer mainly the last years as Board member at national and international organisations with humanitarian and environmental focus.  His studies are on Business Administration and he holds MAs  on European Studies and Latin American Studies, specializing on politics and development.

Professor Dan G. Blumberg

Prof. Dan G. Blumberg is the Vice President for Regional and Industrial Development, and Incumbent of the Simon Family Chair in Remote Sensing at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), and as of 2022-2025, Prof. Blumberg has served as Chairman of the Israel Space Agency (ISA).

Prior to his current position and appointment, Prof. Blumberg served as the Vice-President and Dean for Research and Development. He received his Ph.D. from Arizona State University (1993), where he studied and worked in the Planetary Geology Group and focused on aeolian processes and microwave radar remote sensing to study arid zone environments and planetary geology.

Prof. Blumberg was a Co-I on the SRL (Spaceborne Radar Laboratory) mission, SRTM mission and other space missions. Prof. Blumberg has been working for the past 20 years on the analysis of multi-parameter remote sensing data, including radar, hyperspectral, multi-spectral and GPR data; he published numerous papers in the areas of windblown geomorphology and target and anomaly detection.

Prof. Blumberg combined field studies with the use of remote sensing data; he recently led with IAI the development and successful launch of a Nanosatellite, BGUsat – a 3U cubesat with a shortwave infrared imager onboard.

Prof. Blumberg has been a leader in the development of the IT and cyber eco-system in Beer-Sheva, he brought over 40 multinational companies, 70 startups and almost 300 new engineers to the advanced technologies park in Beer-Sheva.

Prof. Blumberg is also a member of a national committee designed to leverage the AI industry and research in Israel; he is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics.