monARC Project

– EXELISIS Organises the Final Event of the nexus monARC Project

EXELISIS organised the Final Dissemination Event of the Horizon Europe project nexus monARC, marking the conclusion of three years of collaboration in environmental monitoring across complex marine environments. The event opened with welcome remarks by Ms. E. Georgitsi (European Commission Representation in Greece), Mr. P. Kokkalis (Climatica; former MEP), and Ms. M. Tzima (Association of Greek Geologists), setting the tone for a day focused on scientific progress, societal relevance and long-term impact.

The programme featured a series of high-level scientific presentations. Prof. A. Argyraki (NKUA) outlined the project’s overall achievements and next steps, followed by Dr. A. Gondikas (NKUA) who presented the nexus monARC Citizen Scientist Awards. A central highlight of the event was the keynote contribution of Prof. Michael Scoullos (UNESCO Chair; President of MIO-ECSDE), who delivered an in-depth perspective on bridging science, society and policy in the Mediterranean, drawing on decades of experience in environmental governance. Equally prominent was the presentation of Prof. Nikos Thomaidis (NKUA), who showcased state-of-the-art developments in analytical infrastructure, core facilities and environmental assessment, underlining the critical role of advanced chemistry in safeguarding marine ecosystems. The scientific programme was further strengthened by Prof. Dimitris Bikiaris (AUTH), whose talk on microplastics pollution provided authoritative insight into one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.

Additional contributions included Ms. A. Papakonstantinou (NKUA Funding Support Office) on the office’s upgrade and future direction, Mr. Vasilis Pletsas (NKUA) on monitoring the Kolumbo submarine volcano, and Assist. Prof. S. Genitsaris (NKUA) on DiverSea–nexus monARC synergies. The programme concluded with Dr. A. Parlamas (EXELISIS) presenting on IP and licensing for environmental technologies.

EXELISIS supported the consortium throughout the project with sustainability planning, innovation management, exploitation strategies, and targeted training. A key contribution was the development of a business plan for a potential NKUA spin-off, outlining how project know-how could evolve into applied environmental services.

The successful completion of nexus monARC demonstrates how European Coordination and Support Actions can deliver lasting impact through scientific excellence, community engagement, and structured capacity building. EXELISIS is proud to have contributed to this effort.

Check Out the AGENDA of the event!