Maria Loizidou, is a professor at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Chemical Engineering Department and Head of Unit Environmental Science and Technology. She teaches and carries research over thirty years in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development, focusing in Waste and Waste Water Management in the context of Circular Economy.
She has been the chair-person of the Senate Committee for Environment of NTUA as well Head of the Department of the Environmental Science & Technology. Her academic activities extent to her involvement in the Academic Board of the Cyprus University of Technology, being the Dean for the Engineering School. She was responsible, for over fifteen years, for the European Master’s Degree in Environmental Management, where seventeen profound Universities participated (Association of European Master – Environmental Management). She was actively involved for several years in the Topic Centre for Waste and Material Flows of the European Environmental Agency which has the responsibility for the management strategies of Waste in Europe. She has over 500 publications in International Scientific Journals and Conferences. She has coordinated over hundred and fifty International, European and National Projects. Her well recognized experience has led to her being the Environmental Consultant to ministries, regional & local authorities and private sector in Greece and abroad. The national and international conferences she organizes annually, on waste and waste water treatment are renowned and attract the most profound scientists, professionals and companies’ representatives of the field.
Her long-term academic devotion and professionalism to environmental technology issues has led to outstanding performance in the assessment, development monitoring and exploitation of new technologies, applications and services which refer to environmental protection and sustainable development.
Throughout her career several of her technological innovation achievements have been distinguished and awarded under various occasions by the EU or other field related bodies.
Very recently, Prof. Loizidou, received the first Green AWARD as the BEST LIFE ENVIRONMENT PROJECT within the whole 25-year period (1992-2017) of LIFE instrument for the environment of EC. The project’s technological innovation achievement is desalination in the context of water circularity and salt recovery with the use of renewable energy whilst simultaneously protects the environment.
The innovative edge of Waste2bio technology has also been awarded by the EU as it achieves the production of bioethanol from source separated dried bio-waste.