George Economides | Digital Twins | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. George Economides | Digital Twins | Best Researcher Award

Head of Digital Twins | Department for Transport | United Kingdom

Dr. George Economides MChem EMBA FCIHT FRSA MCMI MIET is an accomplished professional recognized for his leadership in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and sustainable transport innovation. As Head of Digital Twins at the UK Department for Transport, he leads national strategies that integrate digital twin systems, AI, and data-driven technologies into transport policy and infrastructure planning. His expertise spans intelligent mobility, systems thinking, and ethical AI, with impactful contributions to digital twin governance, smart infrastructure, and resilience modeling. Dr. Economides’s work bridges science, technology, and policy, positioning him as a key figure in advancing data-centric decision-making and digital innovation within public institutions. His research is featured in leading journals including Buildings, Building and Environment, and Sustainability, reflecting his focus on digital twin applications and sustainable mobility frameworks. A frequent keynote speaker at international forums and an active member of multiple academic and industry boards, he contributes to shaping standards and policies in emerging technologies. He has received several honors, including the TaaS Future Mobility Champion of the Year Award and the Josef Pliva Award for scientific excellence, underscoring his influence in both academic and policy circles. His professional fellowships and memberships further highlight his commitment to innovation, collaboration, and ethical leadership in digital engineering and intelligent transport systems. He has 1 citation, 2 publications, and an H-index of 1.

Profile: Scopus

Featured Publications

1. Economides G., A quantum state metanalysis of the dynamic inconsistency effect. Quantum Behav. Econ. Conf. Proc., 2025, Accepted.

Dr. George Economides’s work drives the integration of digital twins and artificial intelligence into national transport systems, advancing data-driven policymaking and sustainable infrastructure development. His leadership bridges science, technology, and governance, fostering global innovation in resilient, ethical, and intelligent mobility solutions.

J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak | AI for Urban Planning | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dr. J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak | AI for Urban Planning | Best Researcher Award

Professor | University of Greenwich | United Kingdom

Dr. Juan A. Coca-Stefaniak is a Professor of Tourism and Urban Futures at the University of Greenwich, specializing in sustainable tourism, consumer behavior, and the impacts of global crises on travel and hospitality. He holds advanced degrees in business, management, and tourism studies, with a doctoral specialization in urban futures and destination management. Throughout his career, he has held leadership roles in academia and industry, contributing to projects on sustainable urban regeneration, destination branding, and crisis resilience in tourism. His research has advanced understanding of authentic tourism experiences, corporate social responsibility in hospitality, consumer behavior shifts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and leadership responses to global crises, with numerous publications in leading journals such as Annals of Tourism Research, International Journal of Tourism Research, and Current Issues in Tourism. Dr. Coca-Stefaniak has served as an editor, reviewer, and member of editorial boards for high-impact journals, and he actively contributes to international professional associations and policy advisory bodies. Recognized for his research excellence and leadership, he has received multiple academic honors, invited keynote lectures, and fellowships that highlight his impact on shaping the discourse of sustainable and resilient tourism development worldwide, with his scholarly contributions reflected in over 4,900 citations, an h-index of 33, and an i10-index of 46.

Profile: ORCID | Scopus | Gooogle Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Paulauskaite D., Powell R., Coca-Stefaniak A., Living Like a Local: Authentic Tourism Experiences and the Sharing Economy. Int. J. Tourism Res., 2017, 553.

2. Mao Y., He J., Morrison J.A., Alastair M., Coca-Stefaniak J.A., Effects of tourism CSR on employee psychological capital in the COVID-19 crisis: from the perspective of conservation of resources theory. Curr. Issues Tourism, 2020, 480.

3. Li J., Nguyen T.H.H., Coca-Stefaniak J.A., Coronavirus impacts on post-pandemic planned travel behaviours. Ann. Tourism Res., 2020, 426.

4. Li J., Hallsworth A.G., Coca-Stefaniak J.A., Changing grocery shopping behaviours among Chinese consumers at the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Tijdschrift Econ. Soc. Geogr., 2020, 111(3), 574-583, 295.

5. Zhang J., Xie C., Wang J., Morrison A.M., Coca-Stefaniak J.A., Responding to a major global crisis: the effects of hotel safety leadership on employee safety behavior during COVID-19. Int. J. Contemp. Hosp. Manag., 2020, 32(11), 3365-3389, 245.