Irene Pateraki - Course Coordinator

Irene Pateraki is working as Pedagogical and Monitoring Manager in European SchoolNet. She holds a Master Degree in Multicultural Education and she has worked several years as kindergarten teacher. For six years, she was seconded in the Greek Ministry of Education and worked as pedagogical expert in the National Support Organization of eTwinning. She has also organized and facilitated several online courses, webinars, conferences, and workshops for teachers from 44 countries.

Mia Covic - Course Moderator

Mia Covic is a dedicated professional with over two decades of experience in the field of education. She holds a degree in Sociology and Pedagogy, and a specialisation as University Expert in Leadership and Management of Educational Institutions. She is currently pursuing a postgraduate doctoral study in "Quality in Education" at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zadar. Mia has worked as pedagogue and director at two pre-K educational institutions for the last 20 years and is the founder of the association "Strengthen-Improve-Integrate for Development," dedicated to advancing scientific literacy and civic science. Outside of work, Mia is passionate about theatre and actively involved in environmental causes, supporting campaigns for water protection and composting

Evy Copejans - Course Contributor

Evy is the cofounder and managing director of EMSEA, also leading the EU project components on blue education such as Network of European Blue Schools (EU4Ocean), Bridge-BS, BlueLights, and the Next Blue Generation Project. She is an experienced education consultant, having created education projects and professional development workshops focused on bringing the ocean to the classroom. Previously she worked 13 years as a senior Science Communication Officer at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Ostend, Belgium. After graduating as a geography teacher, she was rewarded with the prize for best thesis The North Sea, Mare Incognitum, which highlighted that the ocean was hardly mentioned in the geography curriculum and advised policy makers how to revise it, a work that is still ongoing. She is co-author of several public outreach articles and education publications, including the first textbook in Dutch on marine science for teachers: 'The Science of the Sea - De Wetenschap van de Zee.'

Dominika Wojcieszek- Course Contributor

Dominika Wojcieszek is an oceanographer and a graduate of Gdansk University and San Francisco State University, specializing in marine geology and paleoclimatology. Her research has centered on reconstructing past climate changes through the analysis of microfossils to determine sea surface temperatures. Concurrently, Dominika actively engaged in voluntary work with students, hosting workshops and science festivals, and volunteering with SCUBAnauts International.Her passion for education led Dominika to become an educator at the Gdynia Aquarium, where she gained extensive experience in teaching and co-authored peer-reviewed publications on Ocean Literacy and Blue Schools. In 2019, she assumed the role of Head of Education, successfully securing the Aquarium's membership in the EU4Ocean Platform and developing a local EU Blue Schools program. From 2021 to 2023, Dominika coordinated WWF Poland's Blue Patrol, overseeing nearly 200 volunteers involved in marine mammal and bird rescue, protection, and education. Since April 2023, she has been managing the EU Blue Schools Secretariat for EMSEA, handling certification, communication, and program dissemination on a European scale.

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