Science and Innovation Advisory Board

REACT4MED Science and Innovation Advisory Board

REACT4MED establishes the Science and Innovation Advisory Board (SIAB) of distinguished experts in the domains of the project. The advisory board will consist of a mixture of high-level researchers and stakeholders active in the research domain.

Carla Khater

Director of Research, CNRS-L | Environmental Governance & Protected Areas Specialist | Senior Ecologist (Biodiversity, Restoration & Land Management) | UNESCO MAB & Geoparks | Post-Conflict Ecology

Dr. Carla Khater is a conservation ecologist specialising in restoration ecology, quarry and landscape rehabilitation, protected areas, biodiversity conservation and environmental governance. She is Director of Research and Director of the Ecosystems Platform at CNRS–Lebanon and serves as Senior Advisor for Protected Areas Management to the National Center for Wildlife in Saudi Arabia. Her career combines scientific research with institutional leadership, contributing to restoration methodologies, protected area governance, environmental legislation and science-based decision-making across the Mediterranean and West Asia. She has advised governments and international organisations, authored numerous scientific publications and technical guidance documents, and contributed to strengthening environmental governance through policy development, management planning and institutional reform. Her work focuses on translating ecological science into practical solutions that support resilient ecosystems, effective institutions and sustainable environmental management.

PANOS PANAGOS

Project/Team leader and Scientific officer - European Commission, Joint Research Centre

Dr. Panos Panagos is a Senior Scientist, Project/Team Leader, and Scientific Officer at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. He leads the EU Soil Observatory and provides scientific support for key European initiatives, including the EU Soil Strategy, the Soil Monitoring Law, and the Horizon Europe Mission“A Soil Deal for Europe.” With more than two decades of experience in environmental modelling and soil science, he is internationally recognized for his work on soil erosion, soil health assessment, and land degradation, and has authored over 250 peer-reviewed scientific publications.