Meet our team
The Labs’ goal is to promote and to spread awareness to young people on the globalized information and communication society by facilitating research activities and by disseminating new research insights within this field.
We are a highly educated and specialized team of university professors, researchers and students from the Department of Journalism and Mass Media Communication in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki engaged with surveys, researches and implementations of innovative approaches in journalism. Our research interest lies in interdisciplinary themes such as Peace Journalism, Crisis Management, European Journalism, Media Literacy, Diversity and the Media.
Christos A. Frangonikolopoulos
Dr. Christos A. Frangonikolopoulos is Professor of International Relations at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Holder of the Jean Monnet Chair on European Integration Journalism and Director of the Post-Graduate Program on Contemporary Journalism Studies of the Hellenic Open University. He was born in South Africa in 1965, studied Politics and Government (BA Honours) and International Relations (PhD) at the University of Kent at Canterbury (England). In Greece, he is the author of the books The Democratic Legitimization of the European Union: New Challenges, Old Concepts (Epikentro 2017) The Global Role of Non-Governmental Organizations (I. Sideris, 2007) and co-author of the following books: Greek Media and Foreign Policy (Ι. Sideris, 2011), An Introduction to Cosmopolitan Democracy (I. Sideris, 2010), The Resolution of International Conflicts (I. Sideris 1994). He is also co-editor of Transnational Celebrity Activism: Changing the World? (London, Intellect 2011). In Greece and abroad he has published in journals such as Global Society, The Round Table, Nordicom, Etudes Helleniques, Greek Review of Political Science, Greek Review of Communication, Journal of Contemporary European Studies, Journal of Media and Cultural Politics, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Global Media Journal, Diplomacy and Statecraft, Global Discourse, Bridges, Journal of International Electronic Governance, New Perspectives on European Society and Politics, Media Dialogues, Journalism and Journal of Greek Culture and Communication.
Nikos Panagiotou
Dr. Nikos Panagiotou is Assistant Professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Media Communication, Aristotle University. He has been a Chevening Scholar of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office UK, Socrates Scholar at Universidade Fernando Pessoa (Portugal), Scholar of the State of Luxembourg, RCAP Scholar from APU University Japan, Scholar to Beijing Foreign Studies University. He has an extensive research work as it is evidenced by the fact that Google is financing his research. He is currently a Google Research Scholar. He is the initiator and organizer of Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy. He is a peer-reviewer at St. Antony’s International Review Oxford University, b) Journal of Culture and Society and member of the advisory board for Networking Knowledge. He is the initiator and organizer of International Journalism Summer School in Thessaloniki with Deutsche Welle and Beijing Foreign Studies University.
He has participated in a series of scientific researches, has published articles in International and Greek journals and in edited volumes. His research interests are upon: International Journalism, Audience Studies, Mass Media Literacy Conflict Analysis and Resolution.
Sophocles P. Geroulis
Sophocles P. Geroulis is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Risk Communication, in the School of Journalism and Mass Media Communications of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he obtained as a valedictorian with distinction his bachelor degree. He has been a Scholar of the Fulbright Foundation and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, while working on a series of research projects, while also cooperating with several International Organizations. He is also the Project Manager of “Thessaloniki International Media Summer Academy”. His main interest focuses on Strategic Leadership.
Nayia Kalfeli
Nayia Kalfeli, Doctoral in Peace Journalism (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki), Scientific Collaborator at the Peace Journalism Laboratory, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She received a BA in Journalism from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a MA in International and European Studies from Panteion University of Athens, with a specialization in International Law and Diplomatic Studies. She has worked as a journalist, press officer and translator. She has collaborated with international and domestic organizations as well as NGOs (UNHCR, Children’s Rights Network, Charter of Idomeni Network etc.), on issues related to refugees and immigrants. In 2012, she conducted a six-month field research in Rwanda, working with the Dutch NGO “Radio La Benevolencija” on media and peace-building. She has taught “Peace Journalism”, at a post-graduate level, at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2014–2016). She has participated in domestic and international conferences. Since 2017, she has been working at the Hellenic Open University on the development of digital and educational material for distance learning, at the postgraduate program “Contemporary Journalism Studies”. Her research interests include peace journalism, media literacy, diversity and the media, and the role of the media in crisis management.
Zoe — Charis Belenioti
Zoe- Charis Belenioti is a PhD Student of Faculty of Economics & Political Sciences, Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She studied Journalism and Mass Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, wherefrom she gained a scholarship by the Foundation “Triantafulia Kriezi”. She obtained a Master (MSc) on Services Management (with a specialization to Media & Entertainment Management) from Athens University of Economics and Business, Greece. At postgraduate level, she gained a scholarship by the University of Wales. In 2015 she has served as a Visiting Research Student at the University of Copenhagen, funded by the European Commission. In 2016 she has been awarded with the Excellence Scholarship for PhD Candidates by the Research Committee of Aristotle University.
In between her studies, she gained professional experience in corporate and digital communication across Europe as Communications Specialist at the European Commission in Brussels (DG CNECT/unit Internet of Things) and the European Patent Office in Munich, Germany. Moreover, she has worked as a journalist in various renowned traditional and online media in her country and she has been working for more than 10 consecutive years as Press Office Assistant for the cultural organization “Thessaloniki International Film Festival”. Eagerly supporting technology and Social Media, her research interests lies on the Integrated Marketing Communications, Social Media, Marketing and Management of Non- Profit Organizations. She has been a reviewer for many years at prestigious scientific Journals such as European Journal of Marketing and she has published her work on various blind peer reviewed international conferences and journals.
Vaios Charbas
Vaios Charbas has obtained a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications at the Aristotle University of Thessaloníki. His thesis was about the types of fake news that aimed to influence the British EU referendum. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Digital Media, Communication and Journalism. The pathway he chose is Risk Communication and Crisis Journalism. He has worked as a volunteer at the Thessaloníki International Documentary Festival.
Nikitas Diamantopoulos
Diploma in ‘Journalism’ at the ‘School of Journalism and Mass Communications’ in AUTH, senior student for a master’s degree in ‘Journalism and New Media’. He has worked as a columnist for the newspaper ‘Macedonia’ of Thessaloniki. Currently, he is a columnist for the magazine ‘eMMEis’ and the newspaper ‘Lavart’. His main research interests concern media in war, war propaganda, social influence, persuasion, and, media portrayal of minorities.
Magdalini Gkogkou
Magdalini Gkogkou is an undergraduate student in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is a native speaker of the Greek language, a proficient speaker of English, German and Spanish and a basic speaker of the Russian language. She has volunteer experience by working in the Athens — Macedonian News Agency as a radio producer and member of the editorial team. She was also an intern in the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers and she has participated in many youth media events both as an organizer and as a participator.
Ioanna M. Kostopoulou
Ioanna M. Kostopoulou is pursuing her second master’s degree in European Journalism, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). Her bachelor’s degree was in Journalism and Mass Media Communication and her first master’s degree focused οn New Media Journalism, at the same university. Ioanna is working as Media Monitoring Manager. Skilled in journalism, photography, news writing, editing and Media Relations, she is planning her PhD future in the same field.
Konstantinos Kougkas
Konstantinos Kougkas is currently studying at The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki under the branch of Journalism and Mass Media. Over the last two years, he has participated in various activities and seminars regarding journalism including the NRDC Greece exercise during the winter of 2017. Konstantinos is also well versed in the use of the English language (C2) and is now undertaking Japanese to pursue international studies in the future.
Anna Lampropoulou
Anna Lampropoulou is a major in Journalism and Mass Media Communication Studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She conducted her internship in the Third Channel of the Hellenic Radio & Television Broadcaster, ET3. As she is interested in Documentary and Multimedia Journalism, International Relationships and Public Affairs she has participated in common projects such as the International Journalism Media Summer Academy 2018: “New trends in Media and Journalism: Disinformation, Verification of News and Constructive Journalism in a Changing World”. This March she received the first-place award at the Reportage Competition for 2018, organized by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management.
Spyridoula Markou
Spyridoula Markou is a graduate student from the Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina. She holds a MA in “Journalism and New Media” at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She works as a researcher in various programmes. Her research interests include the role of the media in crisis management and media literacy. She is a scholar of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Greece. She has spoken about the Bone Marrow Transplant in a series of events. She is a volunteer at the NGO “Doctors of the World” and at the PanHellenic Parents’ Association of Children with Cancer “Floga”.
Ilias Nikezis
Ilias Nikezis is a Public Affairs and Strategic Communications practitioner. He graduated from the Hellenic Military Academy. He has taken part in peace operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan and has also served as United Nations Military Observer in South Sudan. Since August 2014, he serves as a military public affairs officer. Additionally to relevant military training in Public Affairs and Strategic Communications, he holds a Master of Arts in Digital Media, Communication and Journalism, specialized in risk communication and crisis journalism, by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication of AUTH and he is a PhD candidate on the field of media and war.
Diego Saez
Diego Saez is pursuing a bachelor in journalism and mass media communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He worked for six months as an intern at the national state television channel ERT3, reporting on domestic and international news stories. He has been a newswriter for several local websites and for 2 years he co-produced a weekly radio program where he promoted the city’s events and satirized political news. One of his biggest passions is the European Union and how journalism report on it. He gave a lecture on European journalism at a 2-day Jean Monnet workshop and participated in the first international journalism summer school held in Thessaloniki. Being extremely interested in international relations, in January 2019 he will start an internship at the Greek embassy in Madrid, Spain.
Nikolaos N. Vasilakis
Nikolaos N. Vasilakis is a communication professional with experience of working in communications and cultural industry. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communications, he is pursuing a master’s degree in European Journalism at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He currently serves as a Press officer at the National Theatre of Northern Greece. His current interests are Cultural Diplomacy, Strategic Communication and Public Relations.
