Stavros Kazamias
Director of MountMed
Stavros Kazamias, Director of the MountMed Institute, has extensive experience in community organizing and rural development, particularly in mountainous areas. Over the past 15 years, he has played a key role in setting up local action groups, including the Troodos Development Company, of which he was the first Director. He has supported rural businesses and helped coordinate local initiatives, such as the Kalopanagiotis revitalization project. He has also played an active role in drafting and implementing funding proposals for integrated local development, with a total budget exceeding €45 million. He contributed to the development of strategic plans for the Marathasa region (2007) and Central Troodos (2009). In 2019, he coordinated the National Strategy for the Development of the Mountain Communities of Troodos as head of the Office of the Commissioner for the Development of Mountain Areas under the Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus. Since 2021, he has been collaborating with the MountMed Institute and the Social Support Network for Mountain Communities, focusing on project design, partnerships, and knowledge-sharing events. He is currently studying Design and Regional Development, further strengthening his commitment to sustainable territorial strategies.
Dr. Dimitris Goussios
Director of research
Professor GOUSSIOS Dimitris (m) is a Geographer -Planner, Director of Research and Coordinator of MountMed Scientific Council. Senior Researcher at University of Thessaly. Founder of the Laboratory of Rural Space in 1998, he has been the Scientific Responsible of the international greek-french MSc DYNTAR for 14 years. He has extensively worked on the identification, construction and utilization of local resources; the governance and the territorial development of rural areas. His work is focused on the local scale, in transnational cooperation. He participates to a multitude of cooperation and research networks: European Universities Network for the development of a methodology for assessing rural spatio-territorial units (territoires ruraux) in order to acquire European quality label (2009-), Mediterranean Network for the “Patrimonialisation de la culture pastorale » -UNESCO (2009), Euromediterranean Think tank PARME (Prospective, Analyse et Recherche de la Méditerranée) (2013), etc. His experience as researcher and coordinator for the implementation of EU co-funded programmes (e.g. Tempus, Erasmus, MED, Horizon 2020, etc.) exceeds 35 years.
Andreas Tofari (PhD)
Senior researcher - Project manager
Andreas holds a PhD in Atmospheric Science, a Master’s degree in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, and an MBA. His work focuses on sustainability, research, and education, with experience in leading projects related to the circular economy and environmental issues. I am also a certified HRDA trainer and consultant on carbon footprinting based on the ISO 14064 standard.
Nicolas Valanides
Researcher - Mediator
Nicholas obtained a BS.c degree in Agricultural Sciences in 2017, an MS.c degree in Agricultural Biotechnology in 2020, and is currently enrolled as a doctoral student at the Cyprus University of Technology.
Founder of Mountain Berries Pitsilia N.V Ltd, which focuses on producing residue-free berries for the Cyprus fruit market all year round, using smart farming techniques.
Founder of M.N Bioagrotiki, which focuses on providing alternative and regenerative farming methods throughout Cyprus, namely the introduction of beneficial nematodes, insects, and mites as a sustainable method for minimizing agricultural agrochemicals.
Head agronomist at the Kyperounta winery during the 2017-2018 season.
Coordinator of the SUBERBO project, researcher in the VITISAROMA project, agricultural partner in the FRIETS RISE MARIE CURIE project, researcher in the PRIMESOFT Horizon project, agricultural partner in the FarmPV project.
Sofia Nikolaidou
Principal Investigator/ Senior Researcher
Sofia Nikolaidou holds a PhD from the School of Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a Master’s degree in Rural Development and Environmental Resource Management (CIHEAM – IAM Montpellier), and an undergraduate degree in Spatial Planning and Regional Development (University of Thessaly). She is currently an adjunct lecturer at Hellenic Open University (Master in Social and Solidarity Economy). Her research interests and fieldwork focus on spatial planning policies for rural areas, with particular emphasis on bottom-up approaches to territorial development, urban–rural linkages, sustainable local development, participatory governance, action research and social innovation. She also works on alternative agri-food networks, food justice, and agroecological transition, with a strong social and environmental focus.