Ph.D., Natural Resource Policy

Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, 2006

Dissertation: Exploring Complex Dynamics in Multi Agent-Based Intelligent Systems: Theoretical and Experimental Approaches Using the Multi Agent-Based Behavioral Environmental Landscape (MABEL) Model.

Advisor: Dr. Bryan C. Pijanowski

B.S./M.S., Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Agricultural Economics, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2000

Thesis: Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Pesticide Ban Policies in Greece, 1965-1995.

Advisor: Dr. Evangelos Papanagiotou

County of Orange

GIS Analyst (2019-current), OC Survey Geospatial Services, Santa Ana, California, USA.

• • Digital twins development, programming, applications and analytics

  • Analysis and data science related to spatial complex systems with expertise and projects in spatial machine learning and deep neural networks.

  • Spatial image signal processing, cognitive vision, and object detection algorithms.

  • US Census and American Community Survey (ACS) geodemographic data and analysis for Orange County.

  • Spatial data science, big spatial data and data mining (spatial machine learning servers, Azure and Google cloud services).

  • Geocomputational statistical analysis and programming (Python, .NET, C#, Javascript, R).

  • Automated map checking algorithms for generating legal descriptions from CAD, Civil3D, Revit and BIM drawings

GIS Specialist (2018-2019), OC Survey Geospatial Services, Santa Ana, California, USA.

• • Data science analysis, spatial machine learning and deep learning algorithms for image processing.

  • US Census geodemographic analysis for Orange County.

  • Spatial data science, big data, and data mining (Azure and Google cloud services).

  • Geocomputational statistical analysis and programming (Python, C#, Javascript, .NET, R).

  • Provided certified GIS training courses for Orange County employees.

University of the Virgin Islands

Research Assistant Professor of Marine and Environmental Science (2010-2018). Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES), College of Science and Mathematics, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

• • Served as lead investigator and conducted academic, agency/governmental and privately funded research for multi-disciplinary projects and activities related to natural resource management and policy, climate change adaptation, computational science, geographic information science, and water-energy nexus.

  • Funding sources included the National Science Foundation, US Department of Agriculture, EPA, Department of Interior, Association of State and Territory Health Officials, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Geological Survey, Google Earth, and the Ocean Thermal Energy Corporation.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)

Senior Research Scientist (2006-2009). CSIRO Division of Sustainable Ecosystems, Davies Laboratory, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

• • Research scientist for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia’s leading governmental research organization.

  • Conducted many government-funded research projects related to natural resource management and policy, including studies on the Great Barrier Reef, urban and suburban sprawl patterns, and sustainable livelihoods in semi-arid and desert Australia and Aboriginal communities, and the South Pacific region (Melanesia and Solomon Islands). 

Purdue University

PRF Fellow (2005-2006). Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

• • Examined land use change and decision-making in the Midwestern United States, specifically in modeling suburban sprawl, watershed management dynamics and land cover change.

  • Utilized advanced modeling and simulation methods, including agent-based modeling, artificial neural networks, Bayesian belief networks and decision-theoretic algorithms. 

Doctoral Research Assistant (2003-2005). Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.

• Explored and studied land use change and watershed management in Michigan and the Midwestern US region, in collaboration with local and regional communities and planners.

• Modeled land use change patterns using computational and socio-economic analyses and simulations.

Michigan State University

Graduate Research Assistant (2001-2003). East Lansing, Michigan, USA.

County of Orange

Certified GIS Instructor (2018). County of Orange, OC Survey Geospatial Services, Santa Ana, CA. Courses Taught:

• • Introduction to GIS for Orange County Employees: Provided, designed and taught four 5-day certified training programs for Orange County professional staff across county agencies, including John Wayne Airport, Child Services, Health Care Agency, County's Assessor's Office, Sheriff's Office, 

University of the Virgin Islands

Assistant Professor, Marine and Environmental Sciences (2010-2018). College of Science and Mathematics, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Courses taught:

• • Introduction to Geographic Information Science (2013-2018, MES565, 5 credits, St. Thomas campus)

  • Human Dimensions in Natural Resource Management and Policy (2011-2012, MES565A, 3 credits, St. Thomas campus)

Assistant Professor, Computer and Computational Sciences (2010-2018). College of Science and Mathematics, St. Thomas and St. Croix, VI. Courses taught:

• • Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving (2016-2018, CSC110, 3 credits, St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses)

  • Computer Science Seminars (2014-2018, CSC397, 398, 497, 498, 4 credits, St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses)

  • Scientific Computer Applications (2011-2018, CSC239, 2 credits, St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses)

  • Documentation and Technical Communication (2016, CSC363, 3 credits, St. Thomas campus)

  • Knowledge Engineering and Expert Systems (2015-2016, CSC430, 3 credits, St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses)

  • Mathematical Modeling (2011-2013, MAT352, 3 credits, St. Thomas Campus)

University of the Virgin Islands

Director, Institute for Geocomputational Analysis and Statistics, GeoCAS (2013 -2018), St. Thomas, VI

• • Managing ArcGIS organizational portal and ESRI licensing for the University of the Virgin Islands.

  • Maintained geospatial and geocomputational infrastructure, servers, and databases for the GeoCAS Institute and the University of the Virgin Islands.

  • Supervised and managed GeoCAS staff and researchers.

  • Provided certified GIS training to multiple territorial agencies and personnel.

  • Provided certified GIS training to faculty, staff and students at UVI.

  • Managed and maintained a comprehensive portfolio of research, educational, and training projects.

  • Hosted and organized geospatial and computational classrooms, training, and cutting-edge visualization facilities and equipment.

  • Provided poster design and large-format printing services.

Director, Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, CMES (2012-2013), St. Thomas, VI

• • Organizational management of the CMES Center.

  • Managed and maintained infrastructure, research vessel fleet and the Center's overall infrastructure.

  • Developed and maintained research, educational, and outreach portfolio of competitive projects for CMES.

  • Supervised and mentored CMES faculty and staff.

Co-Chair, Academia and Research Working Group (2023-current), Digital Twin Consortium (DTC)

I serve as the Co-Chair of the Academia, University and Research Working Group of the Digital Twin Consortium. The working group aims to 

• Leveraging digital twins for education, future skillset development, and research to develop digital twin future direction; 

• Establish a robust lab testing digital twin innovations for interoperability, data sharing, and value realized; 

• Educating and fact-finding on the evolution of digital twin technology and its applicability in the market, and; 

• Opening a dialog between academic/research institutions studying digital twins and enterprises deploying them. More information can be found in the program’s website.

GISP Certified Professional (2012-current), GIS Certification Institute

• Designed, developed, offered and completed certification training courses for employees of the County of Orange in California (2018-2019).

• As a certified GISP (ID No. 51820), trained many professional and agency personnel, in the US Virgin Islands Territory and the regional Caribbean area, through formal training workshops and professional development courses for the period 2012-2018.

Organizational Member, Digital Twin Consortium (2022-current). Digital Twin Consortium

As part of the County of Orange/ OC Survey organizational team, I serve as a member of the Digital Twin Consortium, a collaborative approach between industry, government, academic, and organizational sectors, part of the Object Management Group. I serve as a member of a number of DTC committees: Academia and Research Working Group, Natural Resources Working Group, Technology, Terminology & Taxonomy Working Group.

Advisory Board Member, Big Data Executive Certificate Program (2022-current). Cal State East Bay

Appointed to the Advisory Board of the executive program. Read more on the program's website, or download the program's brochure.

GIS Leadership Academy, GLA (2022). Urban and Regional Information Science Association (URISA)

• Completed the URISA's GIS Leadership Academy, a program providing Geographic Information Systems Professionals with leadership skills and competencies.

Advisory Group, Collaborative Research Program (2022-current). CalTrans - UC Davis Collaborative

Appointed as member of the advisory group on a Caltrans - UC Davis collaborative research program.

Climate Change Science Advisor (2016-2017). Office of the Governor of the US Virgin Islands. 

• Served as a climate change science advisor for the Governor of the US Virgin Islands.

Agricultural Economist (1999-2000). Hellenic Cotton Organization. 

• European Union Controller for implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy framework in the cotton agricultural industry in Greece.

Spatial Information Analyst (1997-1999). Hellenic Air Force. 131 Flight Squadron/ 113 Battle Group

• • Performed spatial analysis for the squadron's center of command (CoC) in the island of Lemnos, and Thessaloniki air bases in Greece.