I was born and raised in Volos—a small coastal city in Greece, between Gulf Pagaseticus and Mount Pelion (pictured above). I became curious about human nature quite early, as my parents and brothers were devoted preservers of local customs and culture. My curiosity brought me to the University of Michigan for graduate studies, after I completed a BA degree in Balkan Studies and an MA in History, Archaeology and Social Anthropology. In Ann Arbor, I lived the most enriching and mentally stimulating years of my adult life, as I studied four-field Anthropology; Biological, Archaeology, Linguistic, and finally my own specialization, Sociocultural. My dissertation research was funded by the National Science Foundation with a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant (NSF-DDIG). I conducted an in-depth ethnography in Bucharest, Romania, looking particularly at how large numbers of stray dogs in the city were related to the formation of social class, urban marginalization, and urban development in post-socialism. Since 2016 I am located in Miami, FL and I volunteer as a Researcher in UX projects. I am grateful about the places that life took me to, and the people that brought to me. I remain passionate about studying human behavioral patterns. I am excited to help Designers come up with innovative ideas, and Stakeholders increase equity, by embracing their consumers’ preferences. In my work, I always find relevant the myth of Sisyphus—insist and persist, to yet complete another task.
