I studied classical archaeology at the University of Athens and after my MA studies (UCL 2005, Managing Archaeological Sites) I worked extensively as a consultant in Greece, focusing on sustainable strategies in heritage management and the role of local communities, thematics of my PhD (University of Athens 2013).

I work with NGOs (I am one of the founding members of MONUMENTA NGO and the project manager of the “Local Communities & Monuments” programme) and university departments on various cultural informatics projects, heritage management projects and excavations. I have also worked in the Greek Ministry of Culture (Acropolis Restoration Project: 2007-2008 and Directorate of the National Archive of Monuments 2014-2015). 

In 2017 I completed my MSCA-IF at Newcastle University working on the concepts of heritage management, landscape assessment and characterisation: The RES.CO.PART project and in 2019 the AHRC Cultural Value Follow on scheme "Co-creating Heritage: Bottom up planning for heritage management in rural areas". Currently, I am working as an AHRC Creative Economy Engagement Fellow on the "Heritage Hack" project, which will provide a new digital tool to engage stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about urban heritage and public space in the city and on a monograph about cultural politics and heritage management during the Asia Minor War (1919-1922), funded by the Research Centre for the Humanities.

In 2019 my edited volume "Cultural heritage in the realm of the commons" will be published by Ubiquity Press.

In my spare time I seek scattered truths among things and people.

Google scholar: Click here.

Research Interests

• Cultural heritage management & sustainable development
• Island and littoral landscapes & seascapes
• Cultural Informatics
• Public archaeology & interpretation
• Politics of heritage
• Archaeological Ethnography

Current activities - posts

• Research Associate at the Centre of Applied Archaeology - Institute of Archaeology, University College London
• Founding Member of the Greek NGO MONUMENTA, for the protection of natural and architectural heritage of Greece and Cyprus
• Founding Member of the “Association of Heritage Consultants” in Greece. Current president: 2014-2016
• Member of the Council for Architectural Heritage, Elliniki Etairia, Society for the Preservation of the Environment and Cultural Heritage (NGO)
• Europa Nostra’s assessor (EU Prize Scheme for Cultural Heritage - Europa Nostra Awards)
• Member of the research team (University of Athens): For the excavation and publication of the ‘Diogeneion Gymnasion’ archaeological site in Athens: (Research on the Inscriptions)
• Member of the World Archaeological Congress | Former member of the Student Committee (WACSC)  (2006-2013) 

Grants & Scholarships

• Marie-Curie Fellow (2015-2017)
• Initiative for Heritage Conservancy (2010)
• Centre for the Classical World Study Grants, UCL (2005)
• State Scholarship Foundation (2004-2008)

Projects

• RES.CO.PART: Research Consultation and Participation: developing a tool for managing cultural heritage and landscape
• Co-creating Heritage; Bottom up planning for heritage management in rural areas
  

Adjunct Lecturer

• MA in Social and Solidarity Economy, Hellenic Open University | Course: The Commons: An alternative paradigm (2017-2020)
• MA in Cultural Policy and Development, Open University of Cyprus | Course: Cultural Policy and Cultural Management (2015-2018)
• MA Archaeology, City, Architecture, University of Athens | Course: The legal framework in managing cultural heritage and practical aspects (2015-2016)
• MA in Heritage Management, University of Kent and the Athens University of Economics and Business | Courses: Public Archaeology (2014), Introduction to archaeology (2014-2015)

• Lekakis S. “To the splendour of our Byzantine heritage”. Managing Orthodox churches in the island of Naxos. In: Naxos and the Byzantine Aegean Conference. 2014, Naxos Chora, Greece: Norwegian Institute at Athens.
• Lekakis S, Gratsia I, Sideri A, ed. Acting for Monuments [Πράττουμε για τα Μνημεία]. Athens: MONUMENTA Publications, 2016.
• Lekakis S, Pantzou N, ed. Handbook: Introduction to the management of cultural heritage in Greece [Εγχειρίδιο: Εισαγωγή στη διαχείριση πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς στην Ελλάδα]. Athens: Asini, 2016. In Preparation.
• Lekakis S. Review: The past in the present. A living heritage approach - Meteora, Athens 2014. AP: Online Journal in Public Archaeology 2016, 5, 191-202.
• Lekakis S, Pantzou N. The region of Mt. Lykaion: an ethnographic approach. In: Romano,D;M.Voyatzis,M, ed. Mt. Lykaion Excavation and Survey Project. American School of Classical Studies in Athens, 2016. In Preparation.
• Lekakis S. Η διαχείριση της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς^. στην Ευρώπη και την Ελλάδα^. Μια επισκόπηση. In: Η αρχαιολογία στην Ελλάδα του σήμερα: μνημεία και άνθρωποι σε κρίση. 2016.
• Lekakis S. Το Κάστρο τ'Απαλίρου^. Σημειώσεις από το πεδίο. Ναξιακά Γράμματα 2015, 17, 9-16.
• Ganiatsas V, Lekakis S. The MuA Project: A Value-Based Database for the Documentation, Assessment and Monitoring of Architectural Heritage at Risk. In: The Protection of Archaeological Heritage in Times of Economic Crisis. 2014, New Acropolis Museum, Athens, Greece: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Lekakis S, Gratsia I, ed. Real fairy-tales of Naxos. The Archaeologists narrate. [Αληθινά Παραμύθια της Νάξου. Οι Αρχαιολόγοι διηγούνται.]. Athens: MONUMENTA Publications, 2013.
• Lekakis S. The Aqueduct of Eupalinos at Samos. HYDRIA Project: Collection, Storage & Distribution of Water in Antiquity. Linking Ancient Wisdom to Modern Needs. 2013. Available at: http://www.hydriaproject.net/en/greece-samos-eypalineion/importance20.
• Lekakis S. Tracking Ilissos river in Athens. HYDRIA Project: Collection, Storage & Distribution of Water in Antiquity. Linking Ancient Wisdom to Modern Needs. 2013. Available at: http://www.hydriaproject.net/en/greece/relevance10/.
• Lekakis S, Pantzou N, Papadopoulos D. Μνημεία, πρακτικές και διαδρομές του νερού: Η εθνογραφική μελέτη της παραδοσιακής διαχείρισης των υδάτινων πόρων στην Αμοργό. In: Chatzikonstantinou,K, ed. Αμοργός Διαδρομές Νερού: Παραδοσιακή διαχείριση υδατικών πόρων και η βιώσιμη προοπτική της. Athens, Greece: Εκδόσεις Ελληνικής Εταιρείας, 2013, pp.49-50.
• Lekakis S, Chatzikonstantinou K. Σχόλιο για τη διαχείριση της νεότερης -προβιομηχανικής-κληρονομιάς στα νησιά του Αιγαίου. In: Chatzikonstantinou,K, ed. Αμοργός Διαδρομές Νερού: Παραδοσιακή διαχείριση υδατικών πόρων και η βιώσιμη προοπτική της. Athens, Greece: Εκδόσεις Ελληνικής Εταιρείας, 2013, pp.52-54.
• Lekakis S. Distancing and Rapproching: Local Communities & Monuments in the Aegean Sea. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 2012, 15(1), 76-93.
• Lekakis S. The Cultural Property debate. In: Smith,J;Plantzos,D, ed. A Companion to Greek Art. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012, pp.683-697.
• Lekakis S. Αρχιτεκτονική Κληρονομιά σε Κίνδυνο. Το πρόγραμμα Μνημεία υπό Απειλή. Ηλιαία 84 2012, 84, 33-34.
• Lekakis S. Η διαχείριση της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς σε τοπικό επίπεδο^. αντιλήψεις και χρήσεις της στο Αιγαίο και τη νήσο Νάξο. Ναξιακά 2012, 2, 155-188.
• Lekakis S, Pantzou P. Μνήμη, ταυτότητα και τοπικές κοινωνίες^. καλές πρακτικές διαχείρισης της πολιτιστικής κληρονομιάς. In: Πολιτιστική κληρονομιά και συλλογική μνήμη. 2012. Submitted.
• Lekakis S, Chrysanthi A. Sustainable heritage management … for whom? A critique on contemporary economics of culture & the use of Information and Communication Technologies towards a symbiotic management strategy”. 2011. Available at: http://www.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/research/hellenicObservatory/CMS%20pdf/Events/2011-5th%20PhD%20Symposium/Lekakis.pdf.
• Lekakis S. Βιβλιοκρισία: A singular Antiquity. Archaeology and Hellenic identity in twentieth-century Greece. Αρχαιογνωσία 2011, 2011, 379-384.
• Lekakis S, Gratsia I, ed. Monuments of Naxos at risk; the citizens’ voice. [Μνημεία της Νάξου σε κίνδυνο. Οι πολίτες μιλούν γι'αυτά.]. Athens: MONUMENTA Publications, 2010.
• Lekakis S. Διαχείριση μνημείων σε κίνδυνο. In: Μνημεία της Νάξου σε κίνδυνο, οι πολίτες μιλούν γι’αυτά. 2010, MONUMENTA Publications.
• Lekakis S. The concept of authenticity in managing cultural heritage resources; The Aegean paradigm. 2009, Oxford: BAR International series 1975.
• Lekakis S. Η απίστευτη ιστορία του σπιτιού του Μακρυγιάννη στο Άργος. MONUMENTA, 2009. Available at: http://www.monumenta.org/article.php?perm=1&IssueID=4&%20lang=gr&CategoryID=19&ArticleID=407.
• Lekakis S. ‘Going Local in a Global World’; Locating the public and evaluating the synchronic context in archaeological resources management. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 2008, 10(4), 308-319.
• Lekakis S. Creating a basic schema for the “experiential approach” in site management; the visitor perception. In: Archaeology and the politics of vision in a post-modern context. 2008, Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Lekakis S. Διαδρομή: “Ακολουθώντας” τον Ηριδανό. 2008. Available at: http://www.monumenta.org/article.php?IssueID=3&lang=gr&CategoryID=7&ArticleID=159.
• Lekakis S. Γιατί τα κτίρια της οδού Αρεοπαγίτου 17-19 θα σωριαστούν σε ερείπια. MONUMENTA, 2007. Available at: http://www.monumenta.org/article.php?IssueID=3&lang=gr&CategoryID=7&ArticleID=159.
• Lekakis S. Τα μνημεία και η ιστορία της αρχαιολογίας στη Νάξο. Ναξιακά 2007, 26 (64), 30-37.
• Lekakis S. Αρχαιοκαπηλία και τοπικές κοινωνίες στις Κυκλάδες το 18^ο και το 19^ο αι. Ναξιακά 2006, 20 (58), 7-19.
• Lekakis S. Conserving and Managing Ancient Monuments. Heritage Democracy and Inclusion. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 2015, 17(3), 287-289.
• Lekakis S. Ξαναδιαβάζοντας την ιστορία των Ονειρευάμενων της Κορώνου. Σκέψεις πάνω στο βιβλίο του Charles Stewart: Dreaming and historical consciousness in island Greece. Ναξιακά Γράμματα [naxiaka grammata] 2016, 20, 8-14.
• Lekakis Stelios, Shakya Shobhit, Kostakis Vasilis. Bringing the Community Back: A Case Study of the Post-Earthquake Heritage Restoration in Kathmandu Valley. Sustainability 2018, 10(8), 2798.
• Manolopoulou V, Lekakis S, Jackson M, Turner S. Microcosm to landscape: the church called Theoskepasti and the environs of Apalirou. In: J. Crow and D. Hill, ed. Naxos and the Byzantine Aegean: Insular Responses to Regional Change. Athens, Greece: Norwegian Institute at Athens, 2018, pp.239-254.
• Lekakis S, Dragouni M. Heritage in the making: Rural heritage and its mnemeiosis at Naxos island, Greece. Journal of Rural Studies 2020, 77, 84-92.
• Lekakis S, Dragouni M. Από τα μνημεία στα τοπία: Η αγροτική κληρονομιά της Νάξου ως πολιτιστική κληρονομιά "υπό δημιουργία" [From monuments to landscapes: Rural heritage of Naxos as cultural heritage "in the making"]. Naxiaka 2019, 8, 243-254.