Dr. Maria Roussou is an Associate Professor in Interactive Systems at the University of Athens(opens in new tab), specializing in eXtended Reality (XR) and Human-Computer Interaction, specifically on designing and evaluating digital experiences for education and culture. She previously established and directed the Virtual Reality Department at the Foundation of the Hellenic World(opens in new tab) (1998-2003). She holds a PhD in Computer Science(opens in new tab) from the University of London (UCL)(opens in new tab); a Master in Fine Arts(opens in new tab) in Electronic Visualization, an MSc in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science(opens in new tab) from the University of Illinois at Chicago(opens in new tab), and a BSc in Applied Informatics from the Athens University of Economics and Business(opens in new tab). She is the recipient of the 2013 Tartessos Award(opens in new tab) in Digital Heritage and Virtual Archaeology.