Professor Despo Fatta-Kassinos from the University of Cyprus has been included in the list of globally influential scientists for the year 2022, a significant recognition of her contributions to science.

According to an announcement by the University of Cyprus, the list features two academics from higher education institutions in Cyprus – the University of Cyprus and the University of Nicosia. The Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list comprises a total of 6,849 researchers from research centers and academic institutions across 67 countries.

Dr. Despo Fatta-Kassinos, a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Cyprus, has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year. She is one of the 137 global scientists in the 'Environment and Ecology' category, as listed in the Highly Cited Researchers 2023 catalog by Clarivate™.

The United States leads with 2,669 researchers, constituting 37.5% of the total list, followed by China with 1,275 researchers (17.9%). The United Kingdom is represented by 574 scientists (8.1%), Germany by 336 (4.7%), Australia by 321 (4.5%), Canada by 218 (3.1%), the Netherlands by 195 (2.7%), France by 139 (2%), Hong Kong by 120 (1.7%), and Italy by 115 (1.6%).

David Pendlebury, Head of Research Analysis at the Institute for Scientific Information at Clarivate, commented, "The Highly Cited Researchers list identifies and honors outstanding researchers whose significant and broad influence in their fields translates into a substantial impact on the research community with innovations that make the world healthier, more sustainable, and safer."

Dr. Fatta-Kassinos has previously been honored for her scientific activities with various awards, including the Research Award from the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation and the SETAC Europe-Noack Laboratorien Outstanding Science Career Award.

Her scientific research has contributed significantly to understanding advanced water and urban wastewater treatment processes. Her work focuses on the safe final disposal of wastewater in the environment and its reuse. Her research also contributes to understanding the behavior of emerging pollutants, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, genes, and genetic elements of resistance during treatment and disinfection processes.

To date, Dr. Fatta-Kassinos has coordinated a significant number of research projects, both national and European, with a total budget exceeding 14.1 million euros. She has published more than 188 articles in scientific journals, delivered numerous lectures and talks in various countries, and represents Cyprus in several committees abroad.