March 2026
Connecting Project at Smart Maritime Network Athens Conference
The CONNECTING project, “CONNECTING Cloud Data Centre for 2D and 3D Cultural Heritage Geospatial Data: An Integrated Research Infrastructure for Data Monitoring, Preservation and Sustainability,” was presented within the framework of the Smart Maritime Network Athens Conference. The presentation took place on 18 March and aimed to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the project, with particular emphasis on the technological framework of the Cloud Data Centre. Special focus was given to the methodologies employed for the management and...
Publication at MDPI – HERITAGE
A new publication from Dr. Argyro Argyrou was realised earlier today. Abstract Detecting surface potsherds using low-altitude remote sensing is challenging due to severe class imbalance and limited training data. This study develops and validates a semi-automatic detection methodology that adapts threshold-optimized boosting classifiers (AdaBoost, XGBoost) to maximize ceramic detection recall under extreme class imbalance in the Western Megaris archeological landscape, Greece. Models were trained on only 15% of the available data to simulate realistic field conditions. Evaluation emphasized recall-oriented metrics (precision,...February 2026
Guest Lecture on “CONNECTING Cloud Data Center for 2D and 3D Cultural Heritage Geospatial Data”
A guest lecture on the topic of “The CONNECTING Cloud Data Centre for 2D and 3D Cultural Heritage Geospatial Data: An Integrated Research Infrastructure for Data Monitoring, Preservation and Sustainability” was delivered within the framework of the research activities of the Department of Planning and Regional Development, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly. The presentation took place on 11 and 12 February 2026, at the premises of the Laboratory of Spatial Analysis, GIS and Thematic Mapping, where the CONNECTING project was...
Information Day 2026 at the Cyprus University of Technology
Project Coordinator Athos Agapiou participated in the Information Day 2026 held at the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) on Saturday, 8 February 2026. The event was successfully organized at the university’s premises, attracting strong interest from students, graduates, and the wider public. Academic representatives, along with administrative and technical staff from the three departments of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, provided detailed information on entry requirements for the Pancyprian Examinations, the goals and philosophy of the study programmes, course...January 2026
Publication at MDPI – HERITAGE
A new publication from Nikola Melilo was realised earlier today. Abstract: Chatbots have emerged as a promising interface for facilitating access to complex datasets, allowing users to pose questions in natural language rather than relying on specialized technical workflows. At the same time, remote sensing has transformed archaeological practice by producing vast amounts of imagery from LiDAR, drones, and satellites. While these advances have created unprecedented opportunities for discovery, they also pose significant challenges due to the scale, heterogeneity, and interpretative...
Meeting with the Deputy Minister of Culture of Cyprus on Cultural Heritage
Earlier today, a meeting was held with the Deputy Minister of Culture of Cyprus, during which various issues related to cultural heritage were discussed, as well as ongoing actions and projects in this field. During the meeting, an overview of the CONNECTING project was also presented by the project coordinator, Athos Agapiou, including information on activities related to the Data Centre, Open Innovation Research Infrastructures, Open Access initiatives, and the geoserver developed as part of the project’s infrastructure.
Participation in the ESA Workshop on Cyprus’s Transition to Associate Membership
Members of the Connecting Project participated in the educational workshop entitled “Empowering Cyprus Space Stakeholders: ESA Associate Membership and Optional Programmes”, which took place on Friday, 9 January 2026, at Cleopatra Hotel, Nicosia. The event was co-organised by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, the Department of Electronic Communications | Cyprus Space Office, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). The workshop focused on Cyprus’s transition to ESA Associate Membership and provided detailed presentations and training...December 2025
