Cristina Andrade

Main Researcher of the project from the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar Cristina Andrade holds a BS.c. in Geographical Engineering, an MSc in Geophysics, a specialization in Meteorology, a second MS.c. in Mathematics, a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences, a specialization in large-scale dynamics of the atmosphere, and a post-doc in Physics. She has taught at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (IPT) since 1998. Currently, she lectures in the Mathematics and Physics Department, she is the founder and has been the Director of the Natural Hazards Research Center (NHRC.ipt) since 2014. Her research areas are natural hazards, extreme events, geostatistical approaches in meteorology and climatology, and climate change impacts on the environment, water resources, and land use. She has published several research papers in peer-reviewed journals, editor of 4 books, guest editor of 4 SI, and was the Principal Investigator of an FCT-funded project (CLIMRisk, SAICT-POL/24253/2016). She has supervised several undergraduate and master dissertations. She is an integrated member of the Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences, a member of the European Geosciences Union, and an Associate Editor of the Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (Elsevier).

Helena Monteiro

José Antunes

José Antunes, Chemical Engineering, with an MSc degree in Science in Chemical Engineering, specialization in Chemical Processes. He is a higher education teacher in the Technology School since 1997. He teaches Computing Applied to Technology and Simulation in Technology, The development of routines in Matlab simulating the relationships between the various variables under analysis will be a key factor for the student’s involvement in the project.

Rui Gonçalves

Rui Gonçalves holds a Ph.D. in Geophysical sciences and Geoinformation. He teaches the area of Physics at the Technology School of IPT, and he is the author of several research papers and book chapters. He has participated in several projects, namely HYDROARID (POCI/CTE-GEX/55399/2004) application to the Santiago and Maio Islands (Cabo Verde).

Francisco Carvalho

Francisco Carvalho, holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics, with research activities related to Statistics. Started his teaching career in 1995 as an Invited Assistant, holding the Adjunct Professor position since 2000 at the Business School of IPT. Among other disciplines, he taught market studies. Author of several research papers and book chapters, member and chair of several organization committees of international conferences (scientific committee of the International Workshop on Matrices and Statistics), held in several countries. He’s a member of the NOVA Math Research Center. For the last 8 years, he’s been Director of the Management School of IPT, among other administrative positions, related to the Director position.

José Casimiro Pereira

Sandra Mourato

Lecturer at the Polytechnic of Leiria since 2002. She has a degree in Biophysical Engineering, a Masters in Hydraulics and Water Resources and a PhD in Civil Engineering. She is currently the coordinator of the Energy and Environmental Engineering programme. She teaches environmental impact assessment, hydrology and water resources, urban hydraulics, basic sanitation and water resources planning and management in the undergraduate and masters programmes of Energy and Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering. She is an integrated member of the MED Research Centre - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development and the CHANGE Associated Laboratory - Institute for Global Change and Sustainability. Her research activity is focused on hydrological and hydraulic modelling, with an emphasis on assessing the impact of climate change on water availability and flood events. She also develops projects in the field of sustainability in higher education institutions. She has participated in several FCT and Erasmus+ projects. She is the author of more than 100 publications in journals, books and conferences.

Anabela Veiga

Anabela Veiga is a professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, where she teaches various subjects in the fields of engineering geology and soil mechanics. She holds a Ph.D. in geological engineering from the University of Coimbra, an MSc in geosciences and land management from the University of Coimbra, and a first degree in geology from the University of Coimbra. She is a researcher at the Geosciences Center (CGEO) of the University of Coimbra, in the cluster of Geotechnology. Her research interests focus on solving problems related to the geological environment, geotechnics, and the availability of resources for sustainable development. She has published more than 40 papers in conferences and peer-reviewed journals.

Sónia Pereira

Sónia Gonçalves Pereira is an MD intern of General Practice and a PhD tenured Researcher, leading a multidisciplinary group focused in 2 main areas: a) microbiome studies, particularly regarding the interplay with the immune system in Celiac Disease, along with biopsychosocial features of the disease; b) antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control, including the development of fast-paced point-of-care diagnostic devices for antimicrobial susceptibility profiling and infection risk prediction tools, as well as the empowerment of healthcare workers, and society, toward better practices to prevent infection and antimicrobial resistance. Conducting her research through a collaborative approach with different fields of knowledge, she seeks to excel in knowledge transfer and bring science closer to society.

Hermano Bernardo

Hermano Bernardo holds a BSc. in Electrical Engineering, an MSc. in Electrical and Computers Engineering, and a PhD in Sustainable Energy Systems. He is a Researcher at INESC TEC and an Invited Assistant Professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, researching and teaching in Energy Management and Energy Efficiency. He is the author of several book chapters, and papers in journals and conference proceedings, most of them focused on energy efficiency and sustainability.

João Charrua de Sousa

João Sousa holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from University of Coimbra and is a Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering - Polytechnic of Leiria. He is researcher at INESC Coimbra, in the field of Rational Use of Energy & Power Systems Planning. His main research interest is the use of artificial intelligence in Energy Systems Planning, being involved in research projects and supervision of works related with load forecasting, load profiling, machine learning , energy efficiency in buildings and smart meter data analytics.

Anastasia Paschalidou

Dr Anastasia Paschalidou serves as Assoc. Professor in Meteorology-Atmospheric Pollution in the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), Greece. She is Vice-Head of the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources and member of the Quality Assurance Committee of DUTH. She teaches courses in Meteorology, Atmospheric Pollution and Climate Change, at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her research interests include urban meteorology, bioclimatology, atmospheric pollution, environmental epidemiology, climate change and its impact on the natural environment and public health. She has >100 publications in peer reviewed journals, conference proceedings and book chapters (SCOPUS h index: 19). She has participated in numerous national/European research projects as PI or team leader. She is the author of 2 textbooks (Climate Change, Physics of the Atmospheric Environment). As of 2020, she serves as Associate Editor in the scientific journal “Science of the Total Environment” (ELSEVIER publications, IF=10.753).

Stavros Stathopoulos

Dr. Stavros Stathopoulos received his B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering (specializing in Atmosphere, Energy, and Climate Change) from the Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace in 2011. In 2013, he received his MSc in Environmental Engineering and Science (specializing in Atmospheric Pollution and Anti-pollution Technology) from the same Department. In 2021, he received his PhD from the Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Pollution Control Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace. His PhD research focused on the influence of large urban agglomerations on aerosols and clouds with the use of Global Climate Models (GCMs) and remote sensing observations. He has been involved in numerous national and European research programs. He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Democritus University of Thrace, where he is developing machine learning and statistical methods in order to downscale remote sensing data.

Kyriaki Psistaki

Dr Kyriaki Psistaki holds a degree in Physics from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering and Science from the Democritus University of Thrace, and a Ph.D. in biometeorology and environmental epidemiology from the Democritus University of Thrace. Her research focuses on the impact of weather, climate, and air pollution on public health. She has participated in 4 research projects and numerous national/international conferences.

Edna Yamasaki

Professor Edna Yamasaki is the Director of the EHResearch Centre. Previously she held the position of VR Academic Affairs, chairing the Internal QA Committee and the Erasmus Office. She is actively involved in local and internationally funded projects. Her research interests focus on the area of the central nervous system, public health, and the environment.

Iris Charalambidou

Iris Charalambidou is a Biologist specialized in Ecology in North Wales and The Netherlands. Her interests are ecological research, nature conservation, civil society engagement, and awareness raising. She served as a scientific expert and advisor to several offices of the Rep. Cyprus and civil organizations and is involved in bi-communal work. She was awarded projects supported by the UN, EU, and American Embassy.

Kyriakos Georgiou

Kyriakos Georgiou studied Mech. Eng. and MBA at Univ. Houston. He has extensive experience in project management and is a certified Project Manager (PRINCE II). A Senior Administrator in the Office of the VR Academic Affairs, he has been working on issues pertaining to the environment and sustainable development with a focus on the rural, mountainous area of Troodos. He teaches courses in Business Administration and Mechanical Engineering including a course on Fatigue and Fracture.

Lucia Protopapa

Lucia Protopapa is a Webmaster in the Dept. Marketing at UNIC. She has experience in web and project management, marketing and digital marketing, design, and technical troubleshooting. She holds a BSc in Human Biology and MA in TESOL from UNIC.

Loizos Papaloizou

Ernestos Sarris

Christiana Demetriou

Souzana Achilleos

Photos Hajigeorgiou

Photos Hajigeorgiou is Professor of Chemistry at the University of Nicosia Medical School.  Prof. Hajigeorgiou holds a B.Sc. (Honours) in Chemistry, a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Chemical Physics and Molecular Spectroscopy) from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, and a PGCertHE from the University of Hertfordshire, UK.  He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship (laser spectroscopy) in the Department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and a research associateship (laser spectroscopy and computational chemical physics) in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.  His research interests include molecular physics, laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy, computational chemistry, human nutrition and health, environmental chemistry, and medical education.  He has recently led a Medical School research team in the completion of the Snow-IoT project, examining environmental pollutants and their impact on human health in Cyprus.

Conceição Catroga (PT)

GRI - International Relations Office

Flávio Chaves (PT)

LINE.IPT - Industrial and Business Innovation Laboratory

João Luz (PT)

João Pedro Freire Fonseca da Luz. Master in Artistic Studies, Cinematographic Studies variant, from the University of Coimbra. Professor at the Abrantes Higher School of Technology, at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar. Researcher at the Center for Technology, Restoration and Enhancement of the Arts. Develops projects in the areas of documentary, experimental video, short fiction and multimedia. He is also interested in dramaturgy, staging and performing arts, with two plays in which he was co-director: a medieval play brought to the present day - "The Physicist" - and a theatrical melodrama based on poems he wrote - " The Step Measurer" - both presented at Teatro Virgínia. Also in this space he produced multimedia components for live music shows. Some of his films were shown at film festivals or video shows, such as Panorama, Caminhos do Cinema Português, Avanca, Fantasporto, Luso-Brasileiro, Adição+, Shortcutz, Moscow National Center for Contemporary Arts, Galeria da Boavista and even RTP2. On an experimental level, he contributed to the surrealist collective Exquisite What, an international online project, and directed music videos for local bands. The thematic areas he likes to explore in documentaries are ethnography, urbanism, architecture, industry, biography and futurology.

Juvenal Paulino (PT)

IT Specialist

CIS - Computer and Systems Center

Marc Lafont (PT)

GCR - Communications and Public Relations Office

Tânia Matos (PT)

GCR - Communications and Public Relations Office

André Fonseca (PT)

Born in the town of Marrazes, Leiria, André Fonseca is a product of the vibrant 80s. He holds a degree in Environmental Engineering from the Polytechnic of Leiria and a Master's in Hydraulic, Water Resources, and Environment from the University of Coimbra.

He works at the Biosciences and Water Treatment Laboratories of the School of Technology and Management at the Polytechnic of Leiria. Away from the lab, he is also a trainer for the Domestic Composting Project at Valorlis, the local waste management authority.

André's spirit of adventure often takes him to the outdoors for waterfall chasing! He also invests his leisure time in poetry writing, theatrical classes, and sports. A seasoned footballer, trail runner, and three-time road marathon finisher, André Fonseca is a multifaceted individual, seamlessly blending his life with a zest for exploration and creative expression.

Cristina Costeira (PT)

Cristina Raquel Batista Costeira (RN; Msn; PhD) has a degree in specialist nursing in medical-surgical. Is a full-time nursing teacher at the School of Health Sciences of the Polytechnic of Leiria.  She is a doctor in New Contexts of Psychological Intervention in Education, Health, and Quality of Life and has a master’s in nursing management. She is also a Chinese Traditional Medicine therapist. Postgraduate in teams and people management. Interest in palliative care, pain management, complementary therapies; clinic supervision; health management, and quality of life. Developed and published research in several national and international journals and magazines.

Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (IPT)

The Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (IPT) is a public higher education institution, established to pursue research and undergraduate and post-graduate education. The IPT structure holds 3 units: the School of Technology (ESTT) and the School of Management in Tomar (ESGT), and the School of Technology in the Abrantes city campus (ESTA). Currently, has 6 learning centers and 7 support units in different cities of the region. Since last school year has also offered several TeSP Vocational Education degrees in the Lisbon Region (Mafra and Sintra, for example). Today, about 3000 members are integrated into our academic community, including students, lecturers (220) and technical and administrative staff. IPT currently offers 19 bachelor’s degrees, 15 Master’s degrees; 25 TeSP Vocational Education degrees, and 18 Postgraduate courses, all accredited by the External National Agency (A3ES), but also, 8 micro-accreditations, and 2 short-courses. The main study areas are Environmental-related Studies, Management, Accounting, Heritage and Cultural Tourism; Design and Communication; Engineering, Technology, and ICT; Arts, and Heritage Conservation. All courses are ECTS base adopting Bologna recommendations and a large part of them have integrated networks that also contribute towards European recognition. The research programs at the Polytechnic are largely integrated into European research programs. It holds several group/office works devoted to quality and sustainability, Mentors, Volunteering, and Eco-School. Currently, the IPT hosts the UNESCO Chair in Humanities and Cultural Integrated Landscape Management with a Doctoral program in Heritage, Technology, and Territory. It has three research centers funded by the Portuguese National Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), the Smart Cities Research Centre (Ci2), the Centre for Technology, Restoration and Valorization of the Arts (Techn&Art), and the Geosciences Centre (CGEO). Most study areas have their research support structures, such as several laboratories from which NHRC.ipt – the Natural Hazard Research Center, is crucial to host and foster the Breath IN project, making use of the established infrastructure of complementary fields of research.

Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (IPLeiria)

The Polytechnic of Leiria (www.ipleiria.pt) is a modern HEI that supports its activities in four main interconnected activities: education, research, innovative services to society (benefit and sharing knowledge) and internationalization. Polytechnic of Leiria has five faculties, accommodating more than 14000 students and more than 1600 staff. Polytechnic of Leiria is the leading HEI of the RUN-EU European University (www.run-eu.eu), which has a strong focus on societal development through education, research and innovation in a multicultural campus environment. Polytechnic of Leiria is the only public HEI in Leiria and the Western region in Portugal and it is at the core of a Research and Innovation Regional and Global Ecosystem, which includes:
a) 15 research centres supported by the National Science and Technology Foundation
b) A unique start-up ecosystem composed of four incubators and one start-up accelerator; Polytechnic of Leiria is the Vice-President of the regional Entrepreneurial Association (1200 SMEs)
c) A regional ecosystem that promotes societal engagement, including two scientific infrastructures located at the “heart” of two industrial parks, as well the occurrence of more than 2500 internships/year with SMEs and other regional stakeholders
d) The Portuguese HEI that led in the last 10 years the co-creation projects with SMEs supported by the Portuguese National Innovation.

Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH)

DUTH was established in 1973 and was named after the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus, who hailed from the town of Abdera in Thrace. DUTH is a public university with full autonomy, supervised and funded by the State through the Ministry of Education. The University with more than 1,400 employees is currently operating 8 Faculties and 20 Schools in four cities. Overall, more than 28,000 students are studying at DUTH at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The University plays an important role in strengthening the national and cultural identity of the region and contributes to the high level of education in Greece. Relying on the quality of teaching and research level, DUTH has secured a place among the best Greek Universities. During the last 20 years, DUTH has realized several thousands of funded projects managed by its Research Committee. Within the framework of these programs, there has been extensive cooperation with universities, research centers, and other bodies in Greece, throughout Europe, and abroad. DUTH has participated as a Lead/project partner in several EU-funded programs, such as FP7, H2020, Life and Erasmus+ actions, Jean Monnet Chair, as well as in international organizations such as the European Space Agency, the European Medicines Agency, etc.

University of Nicosia (UNIC)

The University of Nicosia (UNIC) is the largest university in Cyprus, and the largest university in Southern Europe that teaches primarily in English, with students from over 100 countries across the globe, coming together in an innovative and transformative learning space.
UNIC is a comprehensive university with conventional on-campus and online programmes of study, and particular strengths in medicine, health sciences, education sciences, blockchain, computer science, law, accounting, architecture, and international relations.
Internationalisation is a central component of UNIC’s strategy which includes partnerships for degree programmes, student mobility, and opportunities for students post-graduation in academia or industry, in order to share knowledge and capabilities across countries.
UNIC’s modern campus is made up of 18 purpose-built and refurbished buildings situated amid the urban landscape in the bustling suburb of Engomi in Nicosia. The expansive layout of UNIC campus allows us to provide specialized facilities to support each academic department. The whole neighborhood is oriented towards student life, allowing for a unique social experience, characterized by community interaction, diversity, learning and fun.
An integral part of our approach to the learning design of these courses is our commitment to help our students develop higher-order skills of critical analysis, reflection, and problem-solving. We also support our learners in building knowledge collaboratively and engaging in social learning.
Research at UNIC focuses on a variety of global and local issues, including health, complex networks, social organisation, education, ICT, engineering, and environmental sustainability. Our researchers examine contemporary challenges from a wide range of perspectives, including technological and scientific advances, and modern culture and thought. They apply their expertise, derived from addressing local, regional and national concerns, to key issues with global impact; and develop teams to bring disciplinary strengths together to approach such issues. Cutting edge research is carried out in the areas of Educational Technology, Virtual and Augmented Reality, and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
The University, through its participation in projects, either as partner or coordinator, has developed a wide base of knowledge and expertise in terms of both research output and project management. In pursuing its vision to be a leading contributor to education and research, the University has assisted in the development of several research centers and academically affiliated institutions.

Launch day

The Launch day of the project is scheduled for January, 31st, 2024 (14:00 UTC+0)
link: https://bit.ly/3Odkkgo

Jornal de Leiria (Portugal) - Press clipping 2024-03-07

The project is called Breath IN Erasmus+, which is ongoing, and resulting from an integrated consortium between the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, the Demócrito University of Thrace (Greece), and the University of Nicosia (Cyprus). Its goals are to promote awareness and the exchange of good practices, develop skills, monitor indoor and outdoor air quality, set up living labs in schools, and develop a Roadmap for designing healthier and more sustainable indoor environments.

1st Breath IN Webinar 2024-03-20

The start of the Webinar Cycle is scheduled for March 20, 2024 (14:00 UTC+0)

Link: https://bit.ly/434ndGj

Program
14:00 Welcome and presentation of the Webinar Cycle
          Cristina Andrade, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal)

14:10 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Sandra Mourato, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (Portugal)

          Do plants improve indoor air quality? Myth or Reality? The ISEL/IPL experience
          Ana Barreiros, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (Portugal)

14:35 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Cristina Andrade, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal)

          Indoor air quality analysis in a Primary School: a case study
          Flávio Chaves, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal)

15:00 Closing

2nd Breath IN Webinar 2024-04-03

03 de Abril de 2024 (14:00 UTC+1, PT time)
link: https://bit.ly/3xgUW3u


Program
14:00 Welcome of the Webinar Cycle
          Cristina Andrade, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal)

14:10 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Edna Yamasaki, Universidade de Nicosia (Cyprus)

          Mitigating the health effects of desert dust storms using exposure-reduction approaches:
          lessons learned from the LIFE-MEDEA public health intervention study
          Souzana Achilleos, University of Nicosia Medical School (Chipre)

14:35 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Edna Yamasaki, Universidade de Nicosia (Chipre)

          Thermal stress and public health in Mediterranean environments: Current trends and
          future projections
          Anastasia Paschalidou, University of Democritus of Trace (Greece)

15:00 Closing

3rd Breath IN Webinar 2024-04-24

April 24, 2024 (14:00 UTC+1, PT time)
link: https://bit.ly/43KG7lZ

Program
14:00 Welcome
          Cristina Andrade, Instituto Politécnico de Tomar (Portugal)

14:10 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Sandra Mourato, Politechnic Institute of Leiria (Portugal)

          Microbial air quality in healthcare settings: an overlooked public health problem?
          Sónia Pereira, Politechnic Institute of Leiria (Portugal)

14:35 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Cristina Andrade, Politechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal)

          North African dust intrusions and increased risk of respiratory diseases in Southern
          Portugal
          Tiago Silva, University of Lisbon, IGOT (Portugal)

15:00 Closing

4th Breath IN Webinar 2024-05-15 (event included in the European Public Health Association (EUPHA))

May, 15th 2024 (14:00 UTC+1, PT time)
link: https://bit.ly/3xRg1SH

Program
14:00 Welcome to the Webinar Cycle
          Cristina Andrade, Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal)

14:10 Guest Speaker Presentation
          Edna Yamasaki, University of Nicosia Medical School (Cyprus)

          Air Pollution and Biodiversity
          Iris Charalambidou, University of Nicosia Medical School (Cyprus)

14:35 Guest Speaker Presentation
           Anastacia Paschalidou, University of Democritus of Thrace (Greece)

          The role of green buildings in promoting sustainable development and human health
          Stavros Stathopoulos, Universidade de Demócritus da Trácia (Greece)

15:00 Closing

1st Breath IN Symposium May 15 and 16, 2024

Event Details:  

·   Dates: 15-16 May 2024  

·   Location: Jean Monnet Amphitheatre (M-203), University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus and Online 

Symposium Highlights:  

·  Engaging lectures on topics like lighting conditions, air quality monitoring, and energy consumption methodology.  

·  Insightful discussions on indoor air quality, well-being and health, and the indoor environment.  

·  Interactive activities, including demonstrations on the use of luximeter and EMF equipment and a scavenger hunt.  

The Breath IN Project aims to foster a better understanding of indoor air quality and its impact on health and the environment. We invite you to be a part of this significant symposium and contribute to a sustainable future. 

For registration in person or online and more information, please visit https://www.unic.ac.cy/Breath-IN-Symposium-May-2024