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Dr. Despo Fatta-Kassinos

Title: Dr. in Chemical Engineering

Position/Organization:

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Assistant Professor

Nireas-International Water Research Center, Director

Short profile:

Since late 2003, she is the Head of GAIA, Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, and since early 2011 the Director of Nireas-IWRC, of the University of Cyprus. She has managed various projects (EU and national) with a total budget of ca. 5 million € and participated in a number of water and wastewater related projects. She was the organizer and chair of the XENOWAC2009 Conference held in Cyprus entitled 'Xenobiotics in the Urban Water Cycle', and the host and co-chair of the second European Conference on Advanced Oxidation Processes (EAAOP2) also held in Cyprus in 2009. She is the Vice Chair of the European Cost Action TD0803 'Detecting evolutionary hot spots of antibiotic resistances in Europe'. Her main expertise includes: chemicals in the environment; water and wastewater treatment and reuse; development and application of new methods for the identification of emerging chemical compounds in waters and wastewaters; assessment of their toxicity and development of new methods for the degradation and removal of recalcitrant compounds. She edited various journal issues on wastewater treatment and reuse, published 74 scientific papers in SCI journals, more than 85 conference papers and co-edited the book 'Xenobiotics in the Urban Water Cycle', (Springer Environmental Series). She has acted as Guest Editor in 6 special issues (including an issue in Water Research on AOPs). One of her scientific journal papers on AOPs, published in Environment International (V35, 2009, 402-417), has been determined as a Fast Breaking Paper by the Thomson Reuters in February 2009. In 2012, she was elected as a member of the Scientific and Technological Board of the Joint Programming Initiative 'Water Challenges for a Challenging World'. In October 2012, she received the distinguished national research award 'Nikos Symeonides' for her work on wastewater treatment and xenobiotics. Dr. Despo Fatta-Kassinos has just received the approval of the Commission for a Cost Action - NEREUS on New and emerging challenges and opportunities in wastewater reuse.

What is the value of Norman Network for your Institute?

Research on contaminants of emerging concern has been the focus of my activities since 2005. I find this research field fascinating, as chemistry, biology and engineering, are interwoven in order to develop technologies, processes and methods to face the current relevant challenges. Being an active member of the Norman network has been scientifically, educationally and socially a rewarding decision. Norman keeps you at the very fore-front of ongoing research, debates and emerging knowledge. The network is a big family of authorities in the field, acting as a school for researchers and scientists whatever the stage of their career. It is a unique platform offerring links, opportunities and voice on the so many open questions related to the contaminants of emerging concern.