National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
Despoina D. Tounta is a Doctoral Candidate at the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. With a strong background in environmental science, disaster management, and public health, her research focuses on the interplay between climate change, pandemics, and zoonotic diseases. She has presented her work at international conferences and published in renowned scientific journals.
Profile
🎓 Education
Despoina D. Tounta holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology and Geoenvironment from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, which she earned in 1991. Building on her expertise in environmental sciences, she pursued a Master’s Degree in Environmental, Disaster, and Crisis Management Strategies at the same institution, graduating in 2017. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Geology and Geoenvironment, where her research focuses on the impact of climate change and pandemics from zoonotic diseases. Her doctoral thesis, titled “Climate Change and Pandemics from Zoonoses: Emerging Risks for Public Health and Strategies for Prevention in the Cyclades Island Complex,” explores the intersection of environmental changes and public health risks, with an emphasis on developing policies for disaster preparedness and mitigation.
💼 Experience
Despoina D. Tounta has actively contributed to environmental research and disaster management through training, conferences, and presentations. In 1993, she completed specialized training in Remote Sensing at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, focusing on natural environment protection. Her expertise in disaster resilience led her to present at SafeGreece 2017 (SafeAthens), where she discussed seismic risk prevention in public buildings. In 2021, she presented her research at the International CEST Conference, exploring the impact of weather conditions on COVID-19 spread. Continuing her work on environmental health, she spoke at the Climate Crisis Conference in 2022, analyzing the link between air pollution and COVID-19 mortality. Most recently, in 2023, she participated in COMECAP 2023, where she examined the association between solar irradiance, pollution, and COVID-19 cases in Athens, further reinforcing her role in climate and public health research.
🔬 Research Interests
🌍 Climate Change & Public Health – Investigating the link between environmental factors and zoonotic disease outbreaks.
🦠 Epidemics & Pandemics – Studying the spread of infectious diseases and their correlation with weather and pollution.
🏢 Seismic Risk Prevention – Assessing non-structural vulnerability in public buildings.
📡 Remote Sensing & Environmental Monitoring – Applying geospatial tools to analyze climate-related health risks.
🏆 Awards & Recognitions
Speaker & Contributor at multiple international conferences on environmental hazards, pandemics, and disaster management.
Recognized Researcher for work on COVID-19, climate change, and public health strategies.
📚 Publications
Human Activities and Zoonotic Epidemics: A Two-Way Relationship – The Case of the COVID-19 Pandemic
📌 Authors: Tounta, D.D.; Nastos, P.T.; Tesseromatis, C.
📌 Journal: Global Sustainability (2022)
📌 Volume: 5, e19
📌 Citations: 3
Could Saliva Play a Role in Controlling the COVID-19 Pandemic?
📌 Authors: Papadopoulou, A.; Tounta, D.; Tesseromatis, C.
📌 Journal: Stomatologija