Professor honoured by hometown for sustainable transport research and impact
University of Huddersfield academic, Professor Alexandros Nikitas, has received a special award recognising his contribution to sustainable transport research which has involved real-world initiatives being tested in his hometown in Greece.
Professor Nikitas, Professor of Sustainable Transport Futures within the University’s Huddersfield Business School, received the CYCLOPS Award for the Distinguished Scientist of Drama 2026, at a special ceremony held in the city of Drama in Greece.
The event was attended by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, and brought together representatives from across the region in a celebration of science, culture, innovation and public life.
As part of the ceremony, Professor Nikitas delivered a 15-minute TEDx-styled talk exploring the concept of smart cities and the future of transport. He presented a vision of what his hometown of Drama could look like in 2046, considering how new transport infrastructure, services and technologies could help create a smarter, more sustainable and people-centred city.
His presentation explored emerging mobility innovations including autonomous and connected vehicles, multimodal mobility hubs and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS), while emphasising that technological innovation alone cannot deliver sustainable urban mobility.
The award also recognised the real-world impact of his work in promoting sustainable transport and supporting Drama as a testbed for active travel innovation.
Professor Nikitas has helped support the development of Drama’s electric bike-sharing scheme and has also translated his research into community-level interventions. These include the Walking School Buses of Kalampaki, which he developed in collaboration with local partners to encourage children to travel to school actively, safely and sustainably.
Professor Nikitas, who is Director of the University’s Future Mobility Centre, commented: “This recognition holds a particularly special place for me because it comes from Drama, my hometown, and reflects both my academic work on sustainable transport and my ambition to see research translated into meaningful change impacting communities.
“Having the opportunity to discuss a vision for the smart Drama of 2046 in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic was an extraordinary privilege. My central message was that, however sophisticated our future transport technologies become, people must remain at the very heart and soul of smart mobility.”
Professor Nikitas praised CYCLOPS chair Aris Theodoridis and his team for their continuous efforts to promote science, culture and innovation in the Drama region.
Professor Nikitas has been at the University of Huddersfield for 12 years, where his research focuses on sustainable transport futures, smart mobility, active travel and the societal implications of emerging transport technologies.
The CYCLOPS Award ceremony took place on Saturday 19 September and is an annual event to honour individuals from the city of Drama in Greece.
