Which opportunities does CERIDES see as a Watershare member?
George Boustras from CERIDES, Cyprus tells us what their ambitions are for Watershare.
Can you please introduce your organisation and field of expertise?
Our research at CERIDES – Excellence in Innovation and Technology- revolves around the development, use, and evaluation of quantitative and qualitative methods to measure, assess, manage, and communicate risk, and to analyse, design, and implement decision-making mechanisms and systems.
Our areas of focus revolve around two fundamental pillars: risk and decision science with an application to several horizontal areas such as Security, Safety, Cybersecurity, and Critical Infrastructure Protection. CERIDES is technology-oriented and has already developed tools and apps relevant to its work. CERIDES aims to become an innovation centre forming and developing products that have commercial value. CERIDES funds research and researchers through participation in highly competitive research projects.
CERIDES has already obtained over €4 MN (October 2020) in Horizon 2020, FP7, DG ECHO, DG HOME, DG Justice, ERASMUS+, Norwegian Grants, Cyprus Research and Innovation Council funded projects.
With whom (other colleagues) from your organisation are you taking part in Watershare?
Dr Cleo Varianou Mikellidou (Research Fellow) and Dr Christos Argyropoulos (Senior Research Fellow).
What can you bring to Watershare and what are you looking for?
CERIDES will bring several attributes to the network! Our local and regional partners will assist in increasing the Watershare network. Key to our success is multidisciplinary, and this is one strong point we can bring as well.
We look forward to teaming up with likely minded organisations and together to make an impact on a European level.
What are you proud of?
The very existence of Watershare, this leading network is an achievement by itself. The work of Watershare makes an impact. Just look at the excellent work of Watershare members on #covid19, this is simply amazing.
What do you see as the biggest challenges for Waterhare in 2020-2021?
I believe that #covid19 will continue to be with us, and it will have an impact on all risk related processes. We will have to stretch Infrastructures and adopt a risk-based approach.
Coronavirus/Virus research: What opportunities do you see for Watershare members?
COVID this is a brand new issue, on an unprecedented scale. Humanity is learning to cope with this new pandemic, and there are so many obstacles and challenges ahead. The world as we know it has changed and many of the old processes and ways of life will be affected. Watershare provides a platform of actors, leading actors on a global scale that – together – can make a change. The pioneering work of Watershare in tracing and analysing #covid19 in the sewage system shows the way.