Ioannis Tavantzis is a PhD candidate at the Laboratory of Geoinformatics, School of Spatial Planning and Development, AUTH and a Spatial Planning & Development Engineer. Over the past six years, he has been an integral member of the research team of LabGeo, actively contributing to the project and financial management and implementation of nine (9) national and fifteen (15) European projects. As a key contributor to the research group’s academic output, he has co-authored ten (10) scientific publications and four (4) book chapters, while presenting research findings at more than twelve (12) national and international conferences. Notably, from January to July 2023, he served as a visiting PhD student at Northeastern University, School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs in Boston, US, where he contributed to the implementation of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie research project. His professional expertise encompasses the end-to-end management of EU-funded projects, including strategic planning, coordination and rigorous monitoring / evaluation. He is highly proficient in financial management and budget oversight, ensuring strict compliance with complex EU and national funding regulations. His technical contributions include the preparation of comprehensive project deliverables and progress reports. Furthermore, he has experience in the implementation of citizen science, participatory actions and stakeholder engagement.