Prof. Dr. Elpida Kolokytha 

Candidate for:

Vice-President for Europe

Biography 

Born in Greece, I’m currently a professor at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), in the Dept. of Civil Engineering, Division of Hydraulics and Environmental Engineering. I have 30 years of research experience, together with coordination skills, in the field of environmental policy, sustainable development, integrated water resources management, social and economic aspects of water resources, national, European, and international legislation of water resources, green development as well as transboundary river basin management and climate change adaptation and mitigation.  

I have published more than 130 papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings and have been the editor of two books (2016 Springer, 2020 T&F). Additionally, I have worked on several research and educational projects in the EU, the Balkans and Asia cooperating with numerous multidisciplinary international teams in the public and private sector. I’m an EU expert evaluator of HORIZON, and other EU grants as well as UNESCO C2C Centers. 

I have served in different administrative roles, such as the General Secretary of the Administrative Board of the Science Center and Technology Museum "NOESIS" from 2010 to 2014, and the Head of the Division of Hydraulics & Environmental Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at AUTh from 2019 to 2021. I have also been appointed the Head of the AUTh Water Center from 2011-2016 and I’m currently the Director of the AUTH UNESCO C2C Center for Integrated and Multidisciplinary Water Resources Management (CIMWRM) since 2016. I chaired the IAHR WRM Technical Committee from 2019 to 2022 and am presently the Chair of the IAHR Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and part of the leadership team on Climate Adaptation and Mitigation. Since of 2023 I have been one of the eleven members of the Scientific Council of UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe.

I am committed to utilizing this extensive experience to assist IAHR in fulfilling its mission.

Statement 

It is an honor to be nominated for the position of Vice President of IAHR for this year’s election. With over 30 years of academic, research, and leadership experience in integrated water resources management, hydrodiplomacy, water governance, and climate change adaptation, I am committed to advancing IAHR’s mission and strategic goals in alignment with the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.

Through my work as Chair of the IAHR Water Resources Management Technical Committee (TC) (2019-2023) leading now the IAHR Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and being  Leader of the Thematic Priority Area: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, I have had the opportunity to actively engage with many TC members. Together we have launched webinars and seminars, produced working papers and contributed to shaping IAHR’s agenda on critical water-related challenges.

One of the main challenges in water science is our ability to bridge science, policy, and practice in addressing global hydro-environmental issues. To this end, I believe my longstanding academic and research expertise in this area positions me well to effectively serve IAHR’s vision of holistic water engineering.

If elected Vice President my endeavor will be to:

• Strengthen and expand IAHR’s global influence in water science and engineering. One example how to achieve this would be to appoint “water ambassadors” from IAHR membership (especially young professionals) to advocate for water challenges, solutions, and IAHR activities in different areas globally.

• Enhance collaboration between IAHR and international organizations, such as the UNESCO network, which I’m an active member of, as the Director of one of the twenty-nine C2C UNESCO Centers.

• Motivate young professionals, who are the future water leaders, to drive change. In my capacity as a professor, I have the privilege to educate and interact daily with students and young professionals. By fostering their curiosity and passion we can turn their innovative ideas into solutions.   

• Bring IAHR closer to the public, by disseminating IAHR’s results through community outreach activities that demonstrate the importance of our work on everyday life.

• Further expand IAHR’s role as an educating body through leveraging technological innovation, on knowledge sharing, capacity building and professional training.

• Work to raise IAHR’s global profile and inspire wider engagement beyond the academic community through networking with industry, water leaders and policy makers.

IAHR has played and continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of hydro-environmental engineering. This year we are celebrating IAHR’s 90 years of outstanding commitment to water engineering and I am eager to contribute my expertise, leadership, and passion to continue realizing the association’s vision. I look forward to the opportunity of working with IAHR members to drive meaningful progress in water science and engineering for resilient societies.