Dr Dionyssia Hatzilacou has taken up the post of Interim MedWet Coordinator to carry the MedWet Secretariat through to the appointment of a new permanent MedWet Coordinator (see recruitment announcement), who will hopefully be in place in late 2007.

Born in Larissa (Greece), Dionyssia studied biology at the University of Athens. She holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Management (specialization o­n Waste Management) and a PhD in Ecology (ornithology).

She has a strong scientific background o­n management and preservation of wetland habitats, Special Protection Areas and avifauna. Since 1987 she has been studying the ecology and population dynamics of the Dalmatian pelican Pelecanus crispus, a conservation dependent species breeding at the Ramsar site of the Amvrakikos Gulf, located in western Greece.

Since 1994 she has been systematically involved in Freshwater Management issues: she drafted for WWF International its “Strategy for the protection of the freshwater ecosystems in Southern Europe” (1996), contributed to the preparation of the WWF European and Mediterranean Strategies for Freshwater Resources (1995-1996), and has carried out research o­n the application of public participatory tools for integrated river basin governance, in the frame of the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.
 
She has collaborated with the Ornithological Review IBIS, under the capacity of independent reviewer of scientific publications.
 
She served as President (1996-1998), Secretary (1994-1996) and Member of the Administrative Council (1998-2000) of the HELLENIC ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY (HOS). She is a member of the of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (Pelican Specialist Group).

She is currently employed as an Expert Scientist at the National Center for the Environment and Sustainable Development, (supervised by the Minister for the Environment) as Head of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Section.

She speaks Greek, English and French. She is married.

As Interim Coordinator Dionyssia Hatzilacou will be working with the MedWet Secretariat staff and the MedWet Steering Group over the next several months to ensure that MedWet programmes continue with no loss of momentum.

Updated on 7/24/2007 2:01:32 PM.