Technical University of Crete School of Environmental Engineering Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems Lab. (Resel)

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
TECHNICAL OF CRETE
UNIVERSITY OF CRETE
Environmental Engineering Department
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Kounoupidiana Campus
RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS Lab. (ReSEL)
GR 73100 Chania
Theocharis.Tsoutsos@enveng.tuc.gr, tel: +30 28210-37825, fax:+30 28210-37861
To: Uppsala University

Faculty of Science and Technology
Box 256, SE-751 05 Uppsala
Sweden
Chania, December 7th, 2018
External evaluation for the application from Heracles Polatidis for

admittance as Associate Professor (Swedish docent) in Natural Resources
and Sustainable Development (UFV-PA 2018/1203)
In response to your request dated on Friday, 26-Oct-2018, I am very pleased, as

external evaluator, to write this letter of the work of Dr Heracles Polatidis for
his application to ‘Associate Professor (docent)’ in the area of ‘Natural
Resources and Sustainable Development’ at the Dept. of Earth Sciences,
Uppsala University.
Dr Heracles Polatidis holds:

 a Diploma (Eng) in Mechanical Engineering from Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering,
Thessaloniki, Greece
 a Master in Science (MSc) in the Environmental Pollution Control
Management from Heriot-Watt University, Dept. of Chemical & Process
Engineering, Edinburgh, UK and
 a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Policy & Management
from the University of the Aegean, Dept. of Environment, Mytilene,
Greece awarded in 2003. PhD; his Thesis entitled: ‘Energy Analysis and
Decision-Making; A Multi-Criteria Methodological Framework’.
Since then, Dr Heracles Polatidis has been a very active researcher in the area
of Sustainable Energy Systems’ Planning, Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis of
Energy and Environmental Policies and Natural Resource Management with
focus on Energy and Water Resources. In this area of expertise he has, so far,
participated as a Principal Investigator, Project Manager and Senior
Researcher/Researcher in 13 research projects funded by National, European
and International institutions. These include former EU Framework
Programmes and the more recent Horizon 2020. This engagement with
research projects has resulted in a significant contribution in his field of
expertise at national and international level with substantial research
outcomes.
Journal publications:
Dr Heracles Polatidis has 25 publications in well-known refereed journals in
his field that include Renewable Energy, Energy, Applied Energy, Journal of
Environmental Management, Sustainable Energies Technologies and
Assessments, Computers & Geosciences, International Journal of Green
Energy, Energy Sources. His publications cover a wide range of topics in the
general theme of Natural Resources Management and Sustainable
Development, like for example, renewable energy projects’ management,
energy resource assessment, water economics and policy, macroeconomic
energy planning and decision analysis, CO2 emissions time series analysis,
sustainable renewable energy systems design, among others.
The quality of his articles is reflected at the number of citations received: 803
citations, h-index: 10 in Scopus and 1,315 citations, i10index:14 in Google
scholar. As an example I can mention that his paper Polatidis et al, 2006 is
included in the list of the most cited articles in the last 3 years in the journal
‘Energy Sources Part B: Economics, Planning and Policy’, whereas his first
journal paper dated back in 2003 has received more than 200 citations in
Scopus. During the period 2012-2017, Dr Polatidis has published 10 journal
papers, whereas 2 of his manuscripts are under review within 2018. It should
be noted that Dr Polatidis appears as the first or second author in his papers
and that he is the corresponding author in more than half.
Conferences and books:

Dr Heracles Polatidis has presented his work at 22 national and international
conferences that include the most established conferences in the area, such as
the World Renewable Energy Congress, the European Regional Science
Association Conference and the International Water Association Conference
among others. Some of his conference papers have received citations that
would correspond to a journal publication in the field. For example, his paper
presented at the 47th European Congress of the Regional Science Association
has so far received 26 citations in Google Scholar. Furthermore, Dr Polatidis has
contributed with one chapter to a book on ‘Energy Transitions Management’
edited Dr Jeroen van den Bergh, Free University of Amsterdam, a world-
leading scholar in the field and published by Edward Elgar 2008, Cheltenham,
UK – Northampton, MA, USA.
Esteemed indicators:
During his early stage carrier, Dr Heracles Polatidis has been given two EU
Marie-Curie Fellowships, in two much-respected universities in Europe, i.e.
Keele University, UK and Maastricht University, Netherlands. Later on, as a
recognized expert in his field, he has been invited to act as an external evaluator
for the PhD program in Environmental Sciences, Ecological Economics and
Environmental Management of the Autonoma University of Barcelona,
Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Spain.
Furthermore, he has been active as a reviewer for many scientific journals that
include the most distinct ones in the field and he has been a member of the
scientific committee of international conferences. At the same time, he is the
reviewer of book proposals by Elsevier and Edward Elgar, evaluator of
research proposals by research entities in Greece and Cyprus and also a
member of the Greek National System for the Election and Promotion of
Faculty Members for the National Technical University of Athens and the
University of Piraeus. Finally, Dr Polatidis is an active member of many
research and professional associations in the field and he has been invited as a
speaker in a number of universities in Europe.
Teaching and curriculum development:

Dr Heracles Polatidis has been involved in teaching and supervising activities
at all academic (BSc, MSc, PhD) levels since 2004. He has vast experience as a
university teacher and academic supervisor and has been involved as course
director and lecturer in an immense number of campus but also distance
courses. These also include BSc and MSc Thesis courses and I can see that many
Theses he has supervised had resulted in journal publications, indicating that
the topics he has been offering to the students are at the forefront of current
research. He has been the co-supervisor in three PhDs so far that have been
completed successfully and culminated to scientific publications at the top
journals in the field. He is also currently acting as the supervisor of a PhD
student in United Nations University the Netherlands, which is a highly
prestigious international university with Departments all over the world and
has already submitted a review journal paper with his student again to a top-
ranked journal in the area.
Furthermore, Dr Heracles Polatidis has been involved in pedagogic research

programs both at his current institution, Uppsala University, Dept. of Earth
Sciences and also in his previous institution the University of the Aegean, Dept.
of Environment, Greece. In addition, he has one Pedagogic related conference
paper that has been presented at a well-known and established Conference for
international pedagogics, i.e. the iCERi Conference series. What is really nice,
still, is that his courses have consistently received very positive comments from
the students. I would like to refer to a couple of statements that attracted my
attention: ‘Impressive teaching method’; ‘Phenomenal structure and
organization of the course’; ‘A subject as complex as this could not have been
taught in such a short time and at such high quality without the dedication of
the person in charge’.
Concluding paragraph:
The work of the candidate is including research activity of high level with
significant international recognition, teaching and activation in research
funding. Since I know Dr Polatidis for several years, I would like to underline
the quality of his personality, which is here widely accepted by all his
collaborators in the past, as well as a teacher, which are critical for a University
School, especially in our days.
Based on the above, I have no hesitation in recommending Dr Heracles

Polatidis for the docent appointment as Associate Professor in Natural
Resources and Sustainable Development.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Theocharis Tsoutsos

Director, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Lab
School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete
Polytechneioupolis, GR 73100 Chania
Editorial Board: Energies (mdpi), Int. J. Sustainable Built Environment
(Elsevier), AIMS Energy, Current Sust./Ren. Energy Reports (Springer),
Inventions (mdpi)

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TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

To: Uppsala University

Chania, December 7th, 2018

External evaluation for the application from Heracles Polatidis for

In response to your request dated on Friday, 26-Oct-2018, I am very pleased, as

Dr Heracles Polatidis holds:

Conferences and books:

Teaching and curriculum development:

Furthermore, Dr Heracles Polatidis has been involved in pedagogic research

Based on the above, I have no hesitation in recommending Dr Heracles

Professor Theocharis Tsoutsos

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