Kingsman National Institute

Faculty

Our Academic Community

The faculty at Kingsman National Institute are the living embodiment of our “Athenian Synthesis.” They are not just instructors; they are active researchers, dedicated mentors, and leading practitioners in their fields. Chosen through a rigorous international search, our academic staff bridge the worlds of secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate education, often teaching across all levels. This integrated approach ensures our Senior School students are inspired by university-level researchers, and our postgraduate students are grounded in the fundamentals of their discipline. Our faculty guide the research centres, mentor the debate teams, and shape the intellectual discourse that defines KNI.

Computational Science & Digital Futures

Professor Elias Kouris Professor of Artificial Intelligence; Director of the Centre for Digital Ethics & Governance (CDEG)

Professor Kouris is a foundational figure in KNI’s computational science programme, specialising in trusted AI and machine learning ethics. His work explores the alignment of autonomous systems with human values, a critical intersection that forms the core mission of the CDEG. With a background in both computer science and classical philosophy, he is uniquely positioned to lead our “Athenian Synthesis,” guiding research that impacts both technology and policy. He leads the postgraduate seminar on AI Governance and advises on the Senior School’s A-Level Computer Science curriculum.

Selected Publications:

  • The Ethical Algorithm: Meaning, Alignment and Governance in AI. (2021). Athens University Press. ISBN 978-618-5450-19-2.
  • Kouris, E. (2019). ‘Reconciling Opacity and Trust: A Framework for Explainable AI (XAI) in Public Sector Deployment.’ IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, 10(4), pp. 204-219. DOI: 10.1109/TTS.2019.2941077.
  • Kouris, E., & Vandermeer, J. (2018). ‘Simulating Economic Policy: AI Governance as a Market Stabiliser.’ Journal of Computational Economics, 45(1), pp. 81-104.

Dr. Aoife Van den Heuvel Reader in Cybersecurity & Network Architecture; Head of Undergraduate Computing

Dr. Van den Heuvel joined KNI from the Belgian university sector (KU Leuven) and is a leading expert in critical infrastructure security and applied cryptography. Her research, conducted within the Aegean Informatics Laboratory (AIL), focuses on developing resilient network protocols for smart grids and IoT devices. As Head of Undergraduate Computing, she is responsible for the BSc curriculum, ensuring it remains dynamic and responsive to industry challenges. She is known for her hands-on teaching style, which she also brings to her oversight of the Senior School’s cyber-awareness modules.

Selected Publications:

  • Van den Heuvel, A. (2022). ‘Post-Quantum Cryptography and its Application to IoT Device Security: A Practical Review.’ International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, 38(C). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcip.2022.100551.
  • Van den Heuvel, A., & Novak, M. (2020). ‘Data Sovereignty in Federated Learning: A Zero-Trust Model.’ Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS), pp. 1121-1134.

Dr. Matic Novak Senior Lecturer in Data Science

Dr. Novak is a data scientist specialising in large-scale data modelling and computational statistics. His work at the Aegean Informatics Laboratory (AIL) involves developing new models for analysing complex, high-dimensional data, with current applications in computational biology and urban systems. Dr. Novak teaches core modules in machine learning and data visualisation across both the BSc and MSc programmes and is a popular mentor for the undergraduate dissertation projects.

Selected Publications:

  • Novak, M. (2023). ‘Topological Data Analysis for Non-Linear System Identification in Climate Modelling.’ Nature Computational Science, 3(5), pp. 412-421.
  • Novak, M., & Jensen, L. (2021). ‘A Novel Algorithm for Protein Folding Simulation using Manifold Learning.’ Advances in Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS), 34.

Design & Visual Arts

Professor Inês Marques Professor of Digital Media; Director of the Studio for Generative Art (SGAIM)

Professor Marques is an internationally exhibited new media artist whose work investigates the space between the physical and the digital. As Director of SGAIM, she pioneers research in augmented reality (AR) and data aesthetics, pushing her students to treat code as a creative medium. Her “Athens Studio Model” philosophy is central to the BA programme, demanding that students engage directly with the city’s historical landscape using contemporary tools. She curates the KNI Design Biennale and leads the MA in Interactive Media.

Selected Publications:

  • The Augmented City: Digital Spectres in Public Space. (2019). ZKM/MIT Press. ISBN 978-0262039914.
  • Marques, I. (2022). ‘Generative Antiquity: Using GANs to Re-imagine Lost Heritages.’ Exhibition Catalogue, Ars Electronica 2022.
  • Marques, I. (2020). ‘Haptic Feedback and Embodied Cognition in Virtual Reality Installations.’ Leonardo Journal, 53(1), pp. 55-62.

Dr. Loukas Sideris Reader in Graphic Design & Typography

Dr. Sideris is a practicing designer and design historian whose work focuses on the evolution of Hellenic typography and branding. He serves as the primary studio lead for the first and second-year BA students, grounding their digital explorations in the fundamental principles of form, composition, and visual rhetoric. His research examines how classical aesthetics can inform modern UI/UX design, a perfect example of the KNI synthesis. He is deeply involved in the Athens design community, ensuring our curriculum is connected to the professional creative industries.

Selected Publications:

  • Sideris, L. (2023). ‘From Inscription to Interface: The Re-emergence of Classical Proportions in Mobile Typography.’ Journal of Design History, 36(2), pp. 140-158.
  • Sideris, L. (2019). Hellenic Modern: Greek Graphic Design 1950-1990. Melissa Publishing House. ISBN 978-960-204-401-8.

Engineering & Applied Physics

Professor Kaarina Rantanen Professor of Materials Science; Head of the Hellenic Centre for Sustainable Engineering (HCSE)

Professor Rantanen, recruited from Aalto University in Finland, is a world-leading authority on advanced materials and sustainable engineering. Her research at the HCSE is focused on developing next-generation photovoltaic materials and green composites for use in construction. As a passionate advocate for environmental responsibility, she ensures that all KNI engineering programmes embed sustainability as a core principle. She teaches advanced thermodynamics and materials science at the postgraduate level.

Selected Publications:

  • Rantanen, K. (2021). Sustainable Materials for Energy and Construction. Wiley-VCH. ISBN 978-3527347101.
  • Rantanen, K., & Leclerc, B. (2022). ‘Self-Healing Polymers for Robotic Actuators in Harsh Environments.’ Nature Materials, 21(9), pp. 1021-1028.
  • Rantanen, K. (2019). ‘Perovskite Solar Cell Stability: A Novel Encapsulation Method.’ Advanced Energy Materials, 9(14). DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201803352.

Dr. Benoît Leclerc Senior Lecturer in Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Dr. Leclerc’s research focuses on control systems for autonomous vehicles and humanoid robotics, with a specialisation in sensor fusion. He is the academic lead for the KNI Robotics Team, mentoring students from both the Senior School and the undergraduate BEng programme for international competitions. His lab at the HCSE collaborates closely with the computational science faculty on machine vision and pathfinding algorithms, embodying the cross-disciplinary nature of the Institute.

Selected Publications:

  • Leclerc, B. (2023). ‘Lidar-Camera Fusion for Robust Pedestrian Detection in Dense Urban Environments.’ IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 39(4), pp. 3015-3030.
  • Leclerc, B., & Kouris, E. (2021). ‘Dynamic Path Planning for Autonomous Systems in Unstructured Environments.’ Proceedings of the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).

Economics & Global Markets

Professor Jan Vandermeer Professor of Econometrics & Public Policy; Director of the Kolonaki Forum (KFEP)

Professor Vandermeer is a leading figure in European economic policy and the Director of KNI’s internal think tank, the KFEP. His research employs advanced econometric modelling to analyse Eurozone fiscal policy, sovereign debt, and financial market regulation. He brings a practitioner’s edge to the MSc Econometrics programme, having previously served as an advisor to the European Central Bank. His work is sometimes seen as ‘imperfectly’ critical of established dogma, encouraging a culture of robust debate within the faculty.

Selected Publications:

  • The Eurozone’s Trilemma: Sovereignty, Stability and Solidarity. (2018). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198822409.
  • Vandermeer, J. (2021). ‘Testing for Contagion in Sovereign Debt Markets: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach.’ The Econometrics Journal, 24(3), pp. 405-424.
  • Vandermeer, J., & Zografos, E. (2020). ‘Non-Tariff Barriers and Market Integration in the EU Single Market.’ Journal of International Economics, 125(C). DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2020.103321.

Dr. Eleni Zografos Reader in International Trade & Development

Dr. Zografos is a specialist in the political economy of international trade, focusing on global supply chains and the economics of development. A graduate of the Athens University of Economics and Business, her return to Athens to join KNI has strengthened our ties to the local academic community. She teaches the core undergraduate macroeconomics modules and a popular final-year seminar on the Greek economy. Her work is central to the “Global Markets” component of the BSc programme.

Selected Publications:

  • Zografos, E. (2022). ‘Supply Chain Resilience and Geopolitical Risk: An Empirical Analysis.’ Review of International Political Economy, 29(5), pp. 1511-1537.
  • Zografos, E. (2019). ‘Trade Liberalisation and Labour Market Outcomes in Emerging Economies.’ World Development, 117, pp. 102-118.

Philosophy, Politics & Law (PPL)

Professor Zofia Kaczmarek Professor of Political Philosophy & Jurisprudence

Professor Kaczmarek leads the PPL programme, ensuring its intellectual rigour and its roots in the “Athenian tradition” of inquiry. A prominent scholar of democratic theory and constitutional law, her research examines the tensions between popular sovereignty and individual rights in modern European states. She teaches the foundational PPL seminar, “Plato’s Republic and its Critics,” a legendary and demanding course that sets the tone for the entire degree.

Selected Publications:

  • The Will of the People: A Philosophical Critique. (2017). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1107198112.
  • Kaczmarek, Z. (2021). ‘Judicial Review as Political Dialogue: A Defence.’ Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, 41(2), pp. 310-335.
  • Kaczmarek, Z., & Costa, S. (2020). ‘Constitutional Identity and the Limits of EU Law.’ Modern Law Review, 83(6), pp. 1209-1234.

Dr. Tomáš Petříček Senior Lecturer in International Relations & Security Studies

Dr. Petříček is an expert on contemporary European security and foreign policy, with a regional focus on the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. His background includes work for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and he brings a strong practitioner’s perspective to the classroom. He teaches modules on International Law, conflict resolution, and the politics of energy, and he is the faculty advisor for the KNI Debate Society.

Selected Publications:

  • Petříček, T. (2023). ‘Energy Security as a Tool of Foreign Policy: The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Nexus.’ Geopolitics, 28(1), pp. 248-271.
  • Petříček, T. (2020). The New Great Game: EU and Russian Policy in the Balkans. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3030456103.

Dr. Sofia Costa Lecturer in Applied Ethics

Dr. Costa holds a joint appointment between the PPL faculty and the Centre for Digital Ethics & Governance (CDEG). Her research specialises in bioethics and the ethics of emerging technologies, particularly AI. This dual role makes her a critical bridge-builder at KNI, co-teaching modules with both the Philosophy and Computational Science departments. She leads the first-year undergraduate module “Critical Thinking & Ethical Argumentation” for all KNI students.

Selected Publications:

  • Costa, S. (2022). ‘The Moral Status of Artificial Embryos: A Philosophical Inquiry.’ Bioethics, 36(7), pp. 719-728.
  • Costa, S., & Kouris, E. (2023). ‘Algorithmic Bias in Medical Diagnosis: An Ethical Framework for Mitigation.’ Journal of Medical Ethics, 49(5), pp. 301-308.

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Professor Lars Jensen Professor of Molecular Biology & Genetics

Professor Jensen is the Head of the Life Sciences faculty, overseeing a world-class research programme in genomics and molecular medicine. His laboratory focuses on the genetic basis of neurodegenerative diseases, using advanced CRISPR-Cas9 techniques. He is a passionate advocate for undergraduate research, ensuring that his BSc students gain hands-on experience in the lab from their first year, a promise central to the KNI programme description.

Selected Publications:

  • Jensen, L., & Rosetti, I. (2022). ‘A Novel Gene Locus Associated with Early-Onset Parkinson’s Disease in Mediterranean Populations.’ Nature Genetics, 54(11), pp. 1650-1659.
  • Jensen, L. (2019). ‘Mechanisms of Synaptic Pruning and their Dysregulation in Alzheimer’s Disease.’ Cell, 179(1), pp. 21-38.
  • The Genomic Revolution. (2017). KNI Press. ISBN 978-618-83112-4-5.

Dr. Isabella Rosetti Reader in Biotechnology & Environmental Science

Dr. Rosetti’s research operates at the intersection of biotechnology and environmental remediation. Her team develops novel bioremediation techniques using genetically engineered microorganisms to clean up industrial pollution and marine oil spills. This applied focus provides students with a clear pathway from foundational biology to solving tangible, real-world problems. She leads the BSc modules in Biochemistry and Environmental Science and mentors the Senior School IB students on their Extended Essays in Biology.

Selected Publications:

  • Rosetti, I. (2023). ‘Engineering Pseudomonas putida for Enhanced Degradation of Marine Microplastics.’ Journal of Hazardous Materials, 449(C). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131018.
  • Rosetti, I. (2021). ‘Biosensors for Heavy Metal Detection in Contaminated Waterways: A Review.’ Trends in Biotechnology, 39(8), pp. 805-817.