Meet our Research Committe!
Dimitri Schuurman
Research Chair
Dimitri Schuurman
Research ChairAs an innovation expert, Dimitri Schuurman, is responsible for innovation methodology and monitoring in the digital transformation department at imec. He holds a PhD in innovation management in Living Labs from Ghent University (UGent) and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) in Belgium. Together with his imec colleagues, Dimitri developed a specific Innovation Management methodology with supporting innovation canvasses (under the label ‘Innovatrix’), specifically designed for multi-stakeholder and multidisciplinary innovation projects. He also leads a special interest group on Living Labs in the International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) and is active in the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) as a Living Labs specialist. His main interests and research topics are in the areas of open innovation, user innovation and innovation management.
Valentino Piana
Green Transition Track Chair
Valentino Piana
Green Transition Track ChairValentino Piana is an economist and international consultant. Coordinator of the ENoLL Energy & Environment Working Group. Senior Academic Associate at the Institute of Sustainable Energy of the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (Valais/Wallis), where the Energy Living Lab is established. KTT manager for the http://www.sweet-lantern.ch project putting Living labs at the forefront of the energy transition. IPCC Reviewer. Author e.g. of "Innovative economics policies for climate change mitigation".
Sebastian-Aurelian Ștefănigă
Digital Transition Track Chair
Sebastian-Aurelian Ștefănigă
Digital Transition Track ChairSebastian-Aurelian Ștefănigă, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at the Computer Science Department and Delegate for the Innovation & Technology Transfer Department of West University of Timisoara (WUT). With over 9 years of experience at West University of Timisoara, Romania, he has obtained his B.Sc. degree in Applied Computer Sciences in 2014, an M.Sc. degree in Artificial Intelligence and Distributed Computing in 2016. In 2018, he broadened his knowledge by completing an M.Sc. degree in Education Management and Curriculum Development and in 2021, he successfully obtained his Ph.D. in Computer Science, solidifying his research capabilities and contributions to the field. Dr. Ștefănigă's involvement in research projects funded by the European Commission and other research funding agencies is noteworthy. He has participated in over 7 projects, both as a member and a Work Package (WP) leader. His research interests encompass several areas, including High-Performance Computing, parallel computing, deep learning neural networks, statistics, and social education. Through his work, Dr. Ștefănigă demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach and an ability to apply his expertise to address real-world challenges.
Ömer Onur
Social Transition Track Chair
Ömer Onur
Social Transition Track ChairÖmer Onur is currently the MD of Başakşehir Living Lab and has been running Başakşehir Innovation & Technology Center (Basaksehir Living-Lab) focused in development of innovative producsts and services as well as supporting enterprenuers and startups since 2012. He is also the Project Coordinator of Başakşehir Municipality for H2020 UNaLab and Meta Building Labs projects. Ömer has also been a trainer in ENoLL Learning Lab sessions on various topics since 2020 He is an expert in Project Management and Organizational Development. Ömer has more than 30 years of corporate experience from Ford Motor Company, Ericsson and Turkcell Communications at various management roles in the areas of Organizational Development, Quality, IT, Strategy and Project Management. Ömer has a B.Sc in Production/Industrial Engineering from Aston University, UK and an MBA degree from Graduate School of Management, Melbourne University. Other roles : Council Member of EnoLL since 2015 Treasurer of EnoLL since 2019 Advisory board member of Bodrum Living Lab https://bodrumlivinglab.com/en/home/
Andree Woodcock
Just Transition Track Chair
Andree Woodcock
Just Transition Track ChairAndree is longstanding member of Coventry City lab, and a member of ENoLL executive committee and the Land C subcommittee. She has worked at Coventry as a researcher since 1999 and is Chair of Educational Ergonomics and Design. Driving her research is the belief that applying systems-thinking and user-centred design principles drawn from ergonomics and design research can be applied to and solve many of the wicked problems we face today. In this, the key for greater inclusion and recognition of the needs and contributions of all sectors of society is paramount. This requires the development and application of inclusive methods to understand these needs, empathy fed by an in depth understanding of the lived experience and a willingness on the part of stakeholders (such as designers, municipalities and agencies) to use this information in the application and development of inclusive approaches, systems and products. Most of her research has been located within design departments, looking at applying systemic design research to wicked problems in health, education, mobility, sustainability and gender.
Iris Jennes
Living Lab Transition: Methodologies and Impact Track Chair
Iris Jennes
Living Lab Transition: Methodologies and Impact Track ChairIris Jennes is a user researcher within the Media, Marketing and User Experience (MUX) Unit of imec-SMIT-VUB. Over the past 10 years, she has been in projects on personalised and immersive media. This includes innovations within the context of legacy media - such as broadcast media, and print - as well as new media experiences - such as extended reality and AI. Throughout these projects, the Living Lab methodology is consistently implemented. Her PhD research addresses the changing role of users in commercial television and TV advertising innovations.
Meet our research papers evaluators!
Andrzej Klimczuk
Andrzej Klimczuk
Andrzej Klimczuk, PhD, a sociologist and public policy expert, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy of the Collegium of Socio-Economics at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Poland. Author of many scientific papers in the field of gerontology, labor economics, public management and social policy, e.g., books: “Economic Foundations for Creative Ageing Policy” (the two-volume set, Palgrave Macmillan, New York 2015, 2017); “Generations, Intergenerational Relationships, Generational Policy: A Multilingual Compendium” (co-edited with K. Lüscher and M. Sanchez; Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, 17 languages, editions 2015, 2016 and 2017); “Perspectives and Theories of Social Innovation for Ageing Population” (co-edited with Ł. Tomczyk; Frontiers Media, Lausanne 2020); “Starzenie się populacji. Aktywizacja, koprodukcja i integracja społeczna osób starszych” [Population Ageing: Activation, Co-Production, and Social Integration of Older People] (co-authored with G. Gawron and Z. Szweda-Lewandowska; Wyd. Uniwersytetu Śląskiego, Katowice 2021); “The Sharing Economy in Europe: Developments, Practices, and Contradictions” (co-edited with V. Česnuityte, C. Miguel and G. Avram; Palgrave Macmillan, Cham 2022); and “Citizen Science and Social Innovation: Mutual Relations, Barriers, Needs, and Development Factors” (co-edited with E. Butkeviciene and M. Kerla; Frontiers Media, Lausanne 2022). He is a Sections Editor in the “Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging” (Springer Nature, Cham 2021).
Nele De Witte
Nele De Witte
Nele De Witte is the scientific coordinator of LiCalab at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences. LiCalab is a care living lab that has over 10 years of experience in supporting businesses and organizations by including end users (elderly, patients, care professionals, and other stakeholders) from the very beginning of the development process until market introduction. At LiCalab, Nele De Witte focuses on research methodology, study design, and valorisation of user-centered research. She holds a PhD in psychology and is also a senior researcher and lecturer in Digital Mental Health at Thomas More.
Abdolrasoul Habibipour
Senior Lecturer Luleå University of Technology
Abdolrasoul Habibipour
Senior Lecturer Luleå University of TechnologyAbdolrasoul Habibipour (Ph.D.) is a senior lecturer in Information Systems at Luleå University of Technology in Sweden and is Managing director of Botnia Living Lab, Sweden. His research focuses on participatory design and user engagement in information systems development processes, with a particular emphasis on users’ motivations and needs. He has been involved in teaching and supervising students at the bachelor, master and PhD levels and has published several journal and conference articles in his research topic. Abdolrasoul has been involved in several international innovation and research projects, most of which are focused on digital transformation and living labs, participatory design, as well as research on higher education.
Fatjona Kamberi
Fatjona Kamberi
Fatjona Kamberi has a Ph.D. in health sciences and is an associate professor and researcher at the University of Vlore, Albania. She is the Director of the Faculty of Health's Scientific Research Center for Public Health. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been a very active researcher, contributing to several studies with international collaboration. She was chosen among 386 authors from 112 countries and territories to join the Consensus Statement Panel to end the COVID-19 public health risk. During her 15 years of professional experience, her studies and teaching in public health have focused on e-health, behavioral insights, chronic care and self-management, awareness, and risk communication (human papillomavirus, COVID-19, and mpox) among young adults. Working as an external expert for COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), EU4Health (European Commission), and as the review editor for Public Mental Health (Frontiers in Psychiatry, Frontiers in Public Health, and Frontiers in Sociology) has improved her expertise and professionalism while also keeping her up to date with the most recent issues in public health and care. Her demanding personality, passion, and desire for knowledge have driven her to work hard and seek professional advancement. She considers herself a professional with a strong desire to contribute time and energy to this field, and she is a highly motivated person.
Josep Maria Salanova Grau
Josep Maria Salanova Grau
Josep Maria Salanova Grau is a Transport Engineer with 15 years of experience working in European funded projects. He works as an Associate Researcher at the Hellenic Institute of Transport / Center for Research and Technology Hellas where he leads the data analysis and modelling laboratory supporting the Thessaloniki Smart Mobility Living Lab. His expertise includes transport modelling, ITS and cooperative ITS, Operations Research for optimizing passenger and freight transport and Data Science.
Rosa Almeida
Rosa Almeida
Rosa holds an MSc in Third Generations Therapies and the use of technologies for psychological treatment, an MSc in Gerontology, Management of projects, human resources and social facilities (2011), and a Degree in Gerontology (2009). As Participatory Design Manager, she has been involved in co-development of open innovation methodologies and implementation of Living Lab methodology in INTRAS, being part of European Research Teams, aiming the co-development of new co-creation methodologies, and in the promotion of integrated interventions, supporting the design of innovative solutions for e-health, e-inclusion and independent living, under responsible development and innovation management. She has more than ten years of experience managing European and national projects on ageing challenges, development and testing of ICT solutions for rehabilitation and active and healthy ageing.
Hanna-Greta Puurtinen
Hanna-Greta Puurtinen
Ms. Hanna-Greta Puurtinen currently works as Head of RDI in the School of Built Environment and Bioeconomy and as Development manager in charge of international networks at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), Finland. She has a 25-year work experience consisting of various duties and assignments related to international networks as well as to scientific and applied research & innovation projects. She has experience in applying, leading and managing of projects financed by funding schemes such as Interreg Europe, Central Baltic Programme, Erasmus+, Business Finland and Ministry of Education. She participates in European networks, initiatives and conferences like UIIN and EARMA on a regular basis and is invited to contribute to several European Commission’s expert groups such as Community of Practice on Citizen Engagement for Knowledge Valorisation. Since 2019, she is the representative of TAMK Living Lab in the Council of the European Networking of Living Labs (ENoLL).
Hee-Dae Kim
Hee-Dae Kim
Hee-Dae Kim is Ph.D. in Technology and Business Management at KAIST and Director General at Daegu Technopark Digital Transformation Agency (DXA). He is also Director of Korea Innovation Growth Engine Smart City Project (Citizen Participation Smart City Service Development). Many of his works are designing strategies for city development and planning for the city innovation platform including living-labs, the ecosystem of future industry, and the promotion program for SME & startups. He also activates chief secretariat at Daegu Creative Living Labs(D-Lab) which is a member of European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). His research fields are digital based innovation systems from business to national level and from industrial to social innovation, smart city, smart communication platform based on citizen participation, social network technology, digital transformation, complexity, network society, design thinking, living labs, datanomics, marketing strategies for computer technologies, etc. He has published papers Scientometrics, Asia Pacific Journal of Information Systems, Information System Review, and others. He has served as a reviewer for several journals. He got honors three times for his works related metropolitan innovation systems from the Secretary of Minster of Knowledge Economy, the Secretary of Ministry of Future Creation and Science, and the Mayor of Daegu city.
Pilar Suárez, PhD
Pilar Suárez, PhD
PhD in Clinical Gerontology, Master Degree in Gerontology, Degree in Neuropsychology and Occupational Therapist. Professor of Neuropsychology, Psychogeriatrics, e-health and Psychopathology in the University of Navarra, La Rioja, UOC and UNED. Neuropsychologist Consultant in different public and private services and hospitals in Spain for the implementation of programs for the elderly (active aging, prevention, age-friendly communities, environmental design for the elderly, intergenerational programmes,..). Welfare coordinator of nursing homes and daily care centers in Spain. Project Manager Coordinator and innovation manager of Idea in different lines of research related to late onset depression in the elderly, new non-pharmacological therapies in dementia, environmental design for the behavioural disorders, development of new ICTs for the primary and secondary prevention of MCI, dementia, new support for the informal caregivers at home, and E-HEALTH (cognitive computerized stimulation, apps, telepsychology, advanced teleasistance and virtual reality, ETC). Participant in European projects AAL, FP7, Leonardo da Vinci, Lifelong Programs and H2020. Expert evaluator and rapporteur of European Projects for the European Comission: EASME (SME Accelerator), Horizon Innovation Social Prize, Vitalise project, Carematrix PCP and AAL (E-Health). Mentor AFE (International Federation on Aging and WHO).
Ioanna Dratsiou
Ioanna Dratsiou
Ioanna Dratsiou holds a Bachelor degree from School of Primary Education and a Master degree, Master of Science in Learning Technologies, both from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Greece. She currently works as research assistant in the Lab of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine AUTH with particular involvement in different research projects, while she is a PhD candidate in the Department of Philosophy and Education, AUTH exploring Digital Transformation in Higher Education. Her main fields of expertise and research interest include design, development and validation of e-learning, as well as deployment of Assistive Technologies in healthcare for supporting older people and people belong in vulnerable groups. She has experience in applying Living Lab methodologies (co-creation, co-validation etc.) and interacting with end-users for the development of innovative technological solutions. Additionally, she coordinates the compliance of the iMedPhys Lab training programs in terms of design, development, and implementation with ISO Standards.
Francesco Santarsiero
Francesco Santarsiero
Francesco Santarsiero is a research fellow at the University of Basilicata in the field of innovation management and a consultant at FormezPA for innovation and technology transfer in the Basilicata region. He is an expert in the field at LUM Giuseppe Degennaro University, teaching subjects such as Business Economics and Artificial Intelligence, and at the University of Basilicata, teaching Project Management. He holds a Ph.D. in Management Engineering from the University of Basilicata, focusing on innovation projects, digital transformation, and business model innovation. He has been a visiting scholar at Tampere University in Finland, where he worked on digital transformation projects within various innovation labs in the region. Currently, he is involved in a research project that investigates the role of Innovation Labs as organizational initiatives to promote digital transformation and innovative solutions in companies. His research interests revolve around innovation management, digital transformation, entrepreneurship, organizational performance management and measurement, business model innovation, project management, the use of creative techniques for organizational development, and stakeholder engagement.
Despoina Petsani
Research associate, Medical Physics and Digital Innovation Lab
Despoina Petsani
Research associate, Medical Physics and Digital Innovation LabMs Despoina Petsani received her MSc in Medical Informatics and diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. She is currently PhD Candidate and Research Associate in the Lab of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, School of Medicine of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is also the Harmonization Body Coordinator of the VITALISE H2020 project where her tasks are to synchronise the goals and the objectives of the specific Harmonization Body, ensuring the openness to the global Living Lab and the research community. She was the Living Lab coordinator of CAPTAIN project (H2020) where she managed the co-creation activities in 5 living labs across 5 European countries. Among her tasks was to coordinate the CAPTAIN project requirements elicitation procedure from the end-users. She has experience in applying SCRUM and Agile approaches and applying Living Lab methodologies for the development of innovative technological solutions as part of the iProlepsis, HOSMARTAI and CAPTAIN H2020 project. Her research also includes the use of AI and machine learning solutions in the identification of health and wellbeing metrics from everyday life monitoring and the prediction of health outcomes.
Sobah Abbas Petersen
Sobah Abbas Petersen
Gerardo Romero León, Electronic Engineer, is working in the Consorcio Fernando de los Ríos since 2007. Now as head of the Foresight Area is involved in several strategic projects, even the collaboration with the ENoLL organization. The Guadalinfo LLs are in the first line fighting against the depopulation in Andalucía, digital changes and inclusion for citizens and SMEs are goals with high priority for the project. Gerardo has a long experience working with LLs in the rural environment, developing the digital strategy of the regional and local governments.
Jürgen Howaldt
TU Dortmund – Social Research Center, Chair of ESSI
Jürgen Howaldt
TU Dortmund – Social Research Center, Chair of ESSIProf. Dr. Jürgen Howaldt is the director of Social Research Centre Dortmund, TU Dortmund University, and professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences. He is an internationally renowned expert in the field of social innovation and co-founder and chair of the European School of Social Innovation. He was the scientific coordinator of the global research project “SI-DRIVE - Social Innovation: Driving Force of Social Change”, funded within the 7th Framework Program of the European Union, and has co-edited the Atlas of Social Innovation (https://www.socialinnovationatlas.net/). His research focuses on social sciences-based innovation research and social innovation.
Despina Tsavdari
Despina Tsavdari
Despina Tsavdari has been employed as a research associate at the Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT) within the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) since October 2020. She possesses expertise in surveying methods specifically tailored for transportation projects and obtained her degree from the Department of Rural and Surveying Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) in July 2021. Her main scientific interests focus on issues of sustainable urban mobility and analysis of the behavior of commuters. From the beginning of her work at HIT has participated in Greek and European research projects in the field of Transport. At the same time, she participated in the survey of the movements and in the data analysis of the Thessaloniki Metro Development Study. Fluent in English (C2) and German (B1).
Vanessa Arroyo
Vanessa Arroyo
Vanesa Arroyo, Director of Andorra Research and Innovation. She has a degree in Biotechnology from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, master's degree in Biotechnology management at ALITER, another master's degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation management from the University of Barcelona and a Management Development Program from IESE Business School. Vanesa has extensive experience in research and in the technical and financial management of research projects in biotechnology, biomedicine, genomics and eHealth, both from private companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector (Sanofi, Oryzon Genomics or Werfen) as well as , from public centers such as the CISTIB (Center for Computational Imaging & Simulation Technologies in Biomedicine) of Pompeu Fabra University. She created ACTINN Cluster (Innovation and New Technologies of Andorra) of which she was cluster manager during its first 3 years of the cluster. She is co-founder and president of the Biotechnology Association of Andorra. In 2019 he joined Actuatech ans until her appointment as director, she was coordinator of AR+I's as a Head of Innovation and International Relations Agency.
Maria Isabel Doval Ruiz
Maria Isabel Doval Ruiz
1998-present: Assistant Teacher at the Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Vigo (Uvigo), Spain. PhD in Psychopedagogy. Director of RIO International Observatory of Rural Research. https://rio.webs.uvigo.es/en/ 2022-present: coordinator of RIO Living Lab (Spain) at GRANULAR project, a four-year multi-disciplinary and transnational project, which aims at generating new datasets, tools and methods to better understand rural areas. https://www.ruralgranular.eu/ 2021-present: Vice Chancellor for Well-being, Equity and Diversity at Uvigo, coordinating the Transparency and Good Governance portal, the Diversity Attention Unit, University Development Cooperation, the Service-Learning Plan and Volunteering, RSU and Agenda 2030. 2012-present: Coordinator and partner of CBHE and Erasmus Mundus (Erasmus+) projects in Ecuador, Morocco, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan and the Balkans, with the aim of modernizing their universities and improving the capacities of students and academic and non-academic staff (2012-present). 2005-09: Deputy Director General of the Galician University System (Xunta de Galicia, Spain)
Donagh Horgan
Academic & Practitioner at Inholland University of Applied Sciences and Erasmus University Rotterdam
Donagh Horgan
Academic & Practitioner at Inholland University of Applied Sciences and Erasmus University RotterdamDr Donagh Horgan is an academic and practitioner in the area of regenerative placemaking and socio-spatial transformation. He is presently lab lead at the Urban Leisure and Tourism lab in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Trained as an architect and service designer, he is an expert on social innovation and resilience in the built environment - working on urban innovation with cities in the European neighbourhood and around the world. He is based at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, and Erasmus University Rotterdam, where he is helping to build a robust ecosystem looking at sustainable urban transitions.
Thomas Dimos
Thomas Dimos
Thomas Dimos, a graduate of the Department of Rural and Surveying Engineering, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), has specialized knowledge in hydraulic and transportation systems. Currently, he is engaged in an internship at the Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT) within the Hellenic Centre for Research and Technology in Greece (CERTH) since February 2023. His postgraduate Diploma Thesis centers around the transport sector, specifically focusing on Calculation of the satisfaction index concerning people who travel in the agglomeration of Thessaloniki. Thomas is a native Greek speaker, fluent in English (C2), and possesses a solid proficiency in German (B2).
Juan Antonio Bertolin
Juan Antonio Bertolin
Juan Antonio Bertolin is currently Managing Director of espaitec (Scientific, Technological and Business Park of the UJI) through the General Foundation of the Universitat Jaume I and additionally Executive Director of XcelQiu Digital Consulting firm. His main role is providing the appropriate mechanisms to connect companies settled in the Science and Technology Park (start-ups, spin-off, tractors) to the Global Innovation EcoSystem, providing strategies of technology scouting, open innovation, hybridization management, project management protocols and strategy management. Mr Bertolin is leading the e’LivingLab, a Living Lab launched at the Science and Technology Park with the aim of helping SMEs, R&D Groups and University Community to develop their ideas, projects, products under a co-creation paradigm at the Campus of the University of Castellon with the aim of transferring the results to the province of Castellon to improve the qualify of life of its citizens. Mr Bertolin is expert in: Open Innovation, Technology Scouting, Hybridization Management, Innovation Management, LivingLabs frameworks, Triple Helix models, Entrepreneurship coaching, Business Models, Program/Project Management, Negotiation Processes, Human Resources Management Expert consultant in ICT project for WorldBank ICT, Expert in R + D + i management of the Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE). Council Member of the European Network of LivingLabs (ENoLL), Board member of Triple Helix Association Executive and Coordinator of Thematic Research Group Science Parks and Incubators and University-Industry Partnership of the Triple Helix Association. Advisor to European institutions (JRC) on innovation. Professor of MBA, Masters in Innovation, Master in Industrial Design, Master in Business Management (English) at the Universitat Jaume I. Bachelor of Physical Sciences; Master in Management and Promotion of Local Development (Universitat Jaume I Castellon) promoted by Interuniversity Institute of Local Development; currently in preparation for the PhD in (“Science and Technology Parks as promoters of Territorial Development into Areas of Innovation ecosystem”). Previously, manager of international projects of the Communication & High Tech group of Accenture, and account manager of the IT Deusto Group. He has published several articles and communications to congresses on advanced management of Science Technology Parks and Innovation Areas.