Post Doctoral Researcher
Giannis Saitis, PhD
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Department of Geology and Geoenvironment
Email: saitij@geol.uoa.gr
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LinkedIn profile address: click here
His research activities during his doctoral studies are particularly noteworthy. In collaboration with the biotechnology laboratory at the University of Hokkaido, Japan, he developed a methodology for the laboratory synthesis of artificial beachrocks that mimic natural beachrocks. This innovation is aimed at reducing erosion and wave impacts in vulnerable coastal areas.
He was awarded a scholarship from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens for his research on the project titled “Study of Formation of Natural Beachrocks and Creation of Artificial Stone Blocks, Their Impact on the Coastal Environment and Palaeoenvironment.” This project was funded by the Operational Program Lifelong Learning, NSRF 2014-2020, under the call “Support for Researchers with Emphasis on Young Researchers – Cycle B.”
He also received the 1st prize in the Innovation Competition hosted by the “Archimedes” Center. The competition focused on the “Prevention, Management, and Restoration of the Effects of Natural Disasters, as a Consequence of Climate Change.” His winning entry, the “Nature4Nature” application, proposed a ‘green’ method to mitigate coastal erosion.
Additionally, he is a co-inventor of the European Patent titled “Artificially Triggered Natural Barrier for Coastal Protection,” which was submitted on November 28, 2023.
Studies
Diploma in Geology from the University of Patras
MSc in “Applied Environmental Geology” from Department of Geology and Geoenvironment of NKUA
MSc in “Flood Hazard Analysis” from the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment of NKUA
PhD from NKUA with research title “Geomorphological – Geoenvironmental Investigation of Natural and Artificial Beachrocks Formation Mechanism and their potential as a soft engineering method against coastal hazards. Comparative studies from the Eastern Mediterranean and southern Japan”.
Areas of interest
His areas of interest are interdisciplinary and relate to applied environmental geomorphology (e.g. coastal surveys), coastal zone evolution and the effects of climate change and natural hazards (sea level change, erosion), palaeogeographic reconstruction, geoarchaeological research and geological-geomorphological mapping and analysis in GIS environment (ArcMap, ArcPRO). It should be noted that he has 15 years of experience in fieldworks concerning environmental, geological, geomorphological studies.
Courses
Geomorphology, Coastal Geomorphology, GIS, applied Geomorphology
Membership and professional affiliations
Member of the Geotechnical Chamber of Greece
Member of the Hellenic Geographical Society
Member of the Hellenic Geological Society
Member of the Hellenic Committee of Geomorphology & Environment of the Hellenic Geological Society
Member of the International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) Working Group “Virtual Trips in Geomorphology”
Selected List of Publications
Karkani, A.; Saitis, G.; Komi, A.; Evelpidou, N. Citizens’ Perspective on Coastal Erosion in Greece. Geosciences, 13, 191. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13070191
Saitis G., Karkani A., Evelpidou N., Maroukian H. Palaeogeographical Reconstruction of Ancient Diolkos Slipway by Using Beachrocks as Proxies, West Corinth Isthmus, Greece. Quaternary. 2022; 5(1):7. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5010007
Saitis G., Karkani A., Koutsopoulou E., Tsanakas K., Kawasaki S., Evelpidou N. Beachrock Formation Mechanism Using Multiproxy Experimental Data from Natural and Artificial Beachrocks: Insights for a Potential Soft Engineering Method. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2022; 10(1):87. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010087
Polidorou, M., Saitis, G., & Evelpidou, N. Beachrock development as an indicator of paleogeographic evolution, the case of Akrotiri Peninsula, Cyprus. Zeitschrift Für Geomorphologie, 63(1), 3–17. https://doi.org/10.1127/zfg/2021/0677
Saitis, G., Koutsopoulou, E., Karkani, A., Anastasatou, M., Stamatakis, M., Gatou, M.-A., & Evelpidou, N. A multi-analytical study of beachrock formation in Naxos and Paros Islands, Aegean Sea, Greece and their palaeoenvironmental significance. Zeitschrift Für Geomorphologie, 63(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.1127/zfg/2021/0683