Doctoral Candidate

Name: Anna Kasimati

email: anna.kasimati@durham.ac.uk

Research Project: Blockchain in Government (DC-12)

Biography

Anna Kasimati is a Marie Curie Fellow and PhD student at Durham University Business School (UK) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway). Her doctoral research focuses on the application of Distributed Ledger Technologies. Anna began her career as a researcher at the Athens University of Economics and Business before establishing and running her own tech company in Greece. Her research interests encompass data analytics, digital technologies, and innovation. Inspired by her research outcomes, she founded a spin-off to forecast public sentiment using real-time analytics, which gained significant recognition and was eventually acquired by a leading data analytics firm. Anna holds a BSc in Management Science and Technology and an MBA from the Athens University of Economics and Business.

Motivation for the PhD

Anna has always aspired to be a researcher, which led her to start her career at a research lab focusing on wireless innovation and social media analytics. The promising results of her research culminated in a spin-off company she co-founded, which she successfully led for seven years until its acquisition by a data analytics firm. After taking a break to focus on family, Anna felt it was the right time to pursue her long-held dream of a research career.

Why DIEM

Anna is deeply interested in innovative technologies and their potential to transform lives. She believes that blockchain can redefine industries and societal structures, much like the internet did in the early 2000s. The DIEM consortium offers her the opportunity to explore this field further, providing access to a network of renowned universities and industry partners. This combination of theoretical expertise and practical collaboration aligns perfectly with her goal of producing impactful and implementable research.

Doctoral Candidate Journey & Lessons Learned

The PhD journey has its ups and downs, but Anna has learned to appreciate the process of critically evaluating existing knowledge and synthesizing it to generate new research outcomes.

Engaging with doctoral consortiums and conferences early on has provided invaluable feedback, allowing her to make quick adjustments and refinements to her research.

As a tech entrepreneur, Anna initially underestimated the adoption challenges of blockchain, presenting a unique opportunity for researchers to explore and establish the technology’s full potential.

Personal Interests & Fun Fact

Personal Interests
Outside of academics, Anna is a mother of two boys and enjoys creating stories and building imaginary worlds with them. She loves yoga, spending time in nature, cooking, and engaging in self-growth activities.

Fun Fact
Anna has a passion for creating experiences that make people smile, and she has volunteered in designing and delivering events for entrepreneurs around the world.