GIS and Earth Observation University

Instructor(s)

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Dr. Maria Makaronidou is a Forest Engineer and Environmental Scientist who earned her PhD in Environmental Science from Lancaster University (2020), focusing on the local climate effects of solar parks. She also holds an Integrated Master in Forestry and Natural Environment from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), specialising in forest infrastructure and ArcGIS. Currently, she serves as an AI-Learning Design and Strategy Consultant at GOVADI, developing geospatial courses for the geo.university platform. Her extensive academic career includes serving as an Associate Lecturer and Tutor at Lancaster University (2015–2019), where she led along with class lectures, field research in Mediterranean ecosystems and workshops on energy metrics. From 2025 to the present, she continues her teaching as an Adjunct Lecturer at AUTh, instructing courses on Snow Science, Hydraulics, and Environmental Geotechnical works. Simultaneously, she is a Scientific Associate at the Athena Research Center, managing European projects like SciLake and EOSC-EVERSE. Her expertise spans Agrivoltaics, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and the application of AI and Big Data in environmental configurations. Further, Maria is a member of the EOSC expert group and the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece. Her research is widely published, covering microclimatic variability and the ecological footprint of infrastructure.