Community Award through the years

Ronan Byrne

CEO of HEAnet

About Ronan
With over 20 years’ experience at the Irish NREN, HEAnet, Ronan brings valuable experience and leadership to our community. Since 2019, he has served as Community Chair of the GÉANT Network Infrastructure Advisory Committee (NIAC) which has been a key advisory to the GÉANT Executive in its successful delivery of the GN4-3N pan-European network project. Since his election to the GÉANT Board in November 2023, Ronan has Co-Chaired a working group to redefine our Interconnection and Peering Policy and, in a GÉANT Board liaison role, he has supported GÉANT and the NREN collective in responding to the recent EuroHPC Connectivity tender.

With the support of the NREN community, Ronan was elected to the inaugural Board of the EOSC Association in 2020, and he was the Irish representative on the EOSC Governance Board before this.

Nicole Harris

Senior Trust and Security Manager, GÉANT

About Nicole
Nicole Harris joined GÉANT in March 2013 as a Project Development Officer to support the global GÉANT Community Programme. She works primarily in trust and security and specialises in managing global IT initiatives, policy and legal issues and open-source developments. Since 2010, Nicole has been involved in REFEDS (Research and Education Federations) and continues that role as part of her GÉANT responsibilities.

Nicole was responsible for TF-CSIRT, GÉANT’s forum for CSIRTS, and continues to support GÉANT’s successful TRANSITS training programme as well as managing a variety of security related projects for NRENs. Prior to joining GÉANT, Nicole worked at Jisc for 10 years, supporting a range of programmes and services, including establishing the UK Access Management Federation, one of the earliest research and education identity federations to emerge.

Marina Adomeit

Trust and Identity Project Manager, SUNET

About Marina
Marina Adomeit is the Trust and Identity Project Manager at SUNET, with a focus on international projects and T&I services. She has been working since 2006 in the NREN community, with experience participating in GÉANT projects in tasks related to AAI where she currently leads the Trust and Identity Work Package in GN5-1. Marina has been working within international projects such as Seamless Access Consortium, Puhuri AAI infrastructure for access to EuroHPC LUMI supercomputer and others.

Lars Lange Bjørn

Team Lead for the Network Service and Technology team, NORDUnet

About Lars
Lars joined NORDUnet in 2007 following several years in the telecom industry, and is currently responsible for the DWDM-, IP-network, and services offered by NORDUnet to the Nordic NRENs. He is motivated by the international collaboration that is a prerequisite in the NREN environment. His motivation led to the participation in GÉANT projects, in addition to dedicated projects with SURF to extend the operational domain of the optical networks to cover multiple organisations and DWDM vendors. This work resulted in one of the first operational “alien waves” between the Research and Education Networks (RENs) in Amsterdam and Copenhagen. The “alien wave” concept is now a part of NORDUnet’s optical portfolio, and a requirement in the GÉANT joint procurements for DWDM equipment, in which Lars participated as subject matter expert in 2013 and 2020.

Irina Matthews

Partner Relations Manager and EaPConnect Project Manager, GÉANT

About Irina
Irina is a strong believer that contributing to the growth of each individual NREN is only possible through utilising the power of the community; the joint community effort creates synergy and resonance that is bigger than the simple sum of individual efforts. Irina worked hard in previous years to maximise the potential of the community through professional capability building of the GÉANT staff and GÉANT project, and for the past two years in her capacity as the EaPConnect Project Manager. The project focuses on implementing the robust and resilient connectivity in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region (RENAM, URAN, AzSienceNet, GRENA, ASNET-AM) but ultimately, it is about enabling human connections between EU and NRENs of the neighbourhood countries, connections that create unique and impactful GÉANT community culture. Since February 2022, Irina has also been coordinating GÉANT community support for URAN (Users Association of Ukrainian Research and Academic Network), the support that delivers tangible results and is the testimony to the strength of the GÉANT community spirit and culture.

Anastas Mishev

Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, UKIM and GA representative for MARnet

About Anastas
Anastas is a great supporter of the GÉANT regional Southeast Europe (SEE) effort to bridge the digital divide and advocates selflessly for the wider R&E community needs. He combines his technical and scientific knowledge of more than 25 years academic experience with his political acumen to enable an equal and fair access to research services.

He has been pivotal in co-chairing the SEE Directors Forum, bridging the digital divide between the WB region and EU. Anastas has participated in over 30 international projects targeting the development of e-infrastructures, such as Ni4OS-Europe and the GN project in all its iterations since GN3. He is a former member of the board for MARnet and a GÉANT GA representative. Anastas is also a member of the Governance Board of EOSC Association, representing the mandated organisation from North Macedonia, as well as a member of the Governing Board of the EuroHPC JU. Anastas deeply understands the implications of an effective team effort, and he is able to deliver sensitive messages in an inclusive manner while making himself always available to support all parties.

Sebastiano Buscaglione

Senior Network Architect, GÉANT

About Sebastiano
Sebastiano has made an impressive contribution in planning and designing the next evolution of the GÉANT pan-European network. His technical acumen and his ability to relay complex issues are paired with his ability to engage successfully with all stakeholders (GÉANT, NRENs, European Commission reporting, as well as a wide breadth of providers in the Telco and network technology marketplace). Sebastiano’s commitment to the GN4-3N project has been unwavering; he is always on top of what is a very wide scope of work to manage, in addition he always maintains a calm disposition, he’s respectful of all views and his subject matter expertise is always assuring.

Ivana Golub

Senior Researcher, PSNC

About Ivana
For many years already, Ivana has been driving the GÉANT Project Network Services team and helping shape the service portfolio in the most meaningful way. Thanks to her long and extensive experience in network operations and research, she’s always ensuring that the offering is user driven and generates the best value for the GÉANT project and its member organisations. And, most of all, she’s doing all this with great dedication, caring for everyone in her team and promoting diversity. This makes her an invaluable and very respected Work Package leader.

Sabine Jaume

Former International and Strategy Director, RENATER

About Sabine
For over 28 years, Sabine has been one of the most valuable members of both the European and international community. She had a key role in setting up the French NREN, RENATER, and advocated for GÉANT and European NREN collaboration as we know it now. Over the years, she has been a member of several Boards and Committees (GÉANT Board, GÉANT Community Committee, GÉANT Community Programme and the Programme Committee of TNC20 and TNC21. A strong advocate for NRENs around the world, she was not only involved in the BELLA and AfricaConnect projects, but she kick started and led many initiatives for NRENs in Africa. With her welcoming and supportive disposition, she always goes the extra mile to share her expertise, help newcomers, and support innovation in the community.

Anastas Mishev

Professor at the Faculty of Computer Science, UKIM and GA representative for MARNET

About Anastas
Anastas is a great supporter of the GÉANT regional Southeast Europe (SEE) effort to bridge the digital divide and advocates selflessly for the wider R&E community needs. He combines his technical and scientific knowledge of more than 25 years academic experience with his political acumen to enable an equal and fair access to fundamental services.
He has been pivotal in the profiling and delivering of the first SEE-USER FORUM in the region involving researchers from the region. Anastas has been a valuable contributor to the implementation of over 30 international projects targeting the development of IT infrastructures for R&E, such as Ni4OS and the GN project in all its iterations since GN3. Despite being a representative from a non EU member state, Anastas has managed to place his institution as member of the Boards of the EOSC Association and EuroHPC Joint Undertaking. Anastas deeply understand the implications of an effective team effort and he is able to deliver sensitive messages in inclusive manners while making himself always available to support all parties.

Damian Niemir

Head of Department of Cooperation and Contacts, PSNC

About Damian
Over the years, Damian’s longstanding contributions and dedicated work have made him a pillar of our community. He is an active and valued member of the Special Interest Group on Marketing and Communications. He is known in the global community for his abilities to bring events alive with realistic scenarios and interactive soundtracks. His dedication, creativity and vision for the planning and execution of unforgettable events around the world such as CLAW, TNC and many more every year, have had a deep impact on anyone who has ever attended them.
Damian’s quiet presence and hard work behind the scenes of these events make him a stable, comforting, and indispensable figure of our community.

Sebastiano Buscaglione

Senior Network Architect, GÉANT

About Sebastiano
Sebastiano has made an impressive contribution in planning and designing the next evolution of the GÉANT pan-European network. His technical acumen and his ability to relay complex issues are paired with his ability to engage successfully with all stakeholders (GÉANT, NRENs, European Commission reporting, as well as a wide breadth of providers in the Telco and network technology marketplace). Sebastiano’s commitment to the GN4-3N project has been unwavering; he is always on top of what is a very wide scope of work to manage, in addition he always maintains a calm disposition, he’s respectful of all views and his subject matter expertise is always assuring.

Tryfon Chiotis

Head of Project Management Office, GÉANT
Award Recipient

About Tryfon
When Tryfon joined the GÉANT Project Management Office it changed the tone of the GÉANT Projects. Activity Leaders felt supported by someone who really understood their topics. NRENs knew they were dealing with someone who knows both sides of the equation.
He’s an assiduous, friendly, supportive Project Manager who is admired and appreciated by all those who know him. He has been the essence of the GN project for the last 10 years, and by extension the spirit of the GEANT community. Tryfon's integrity, hard work and quiet humility mean he is a real silent community hero.

Paul Dekkers

Wireless Services Specialist, SURF
Award Recipient

About Paul
Paul started out as a technical person, operating large parts of the eduroam infrastructure. Over time, he put immense amount of dedication into the service, not only regarding operations, but also future development and international service governance.
Lately, when the sad duty of finding a replacement for Miroslav Milinovic's slice of work for the eduroam service came up, Paul did not hesitate and stepped forward to become the eduroam Europe Service Owner.

Ivana Golub

Senior Researcher, PSNC

About Ivana
For many years already, Ivana has been driving the GÉANT Project Network Services team and helping shape the service portfolio in the most meaningful way. Thanks to her long and extensive experience in network operations and research, she’s always ensuring that the offering is user driven and generates the best value for the GÉANT project and its member organisations. And, most of all, she’s doing all this with great dedication, caring for everyone in her team and promoting diversity. This makes her an invaluable and very respected Work Package leader.

Garvan McFeeley

Brokerage Services Manager, HEAnet

About Garvan
Brokerage/group procurement had been a HEAnet service for some time before Garvan joined the organisation, but since then it has become one of HEAnet’s primary services and a core reason for new members to join the NREN. His enthusiasm for getting the best deal for education & research extends well beyond Ireland. He has been instrumental in delivering many IaaS providers into the GÉANT Project framework over the last few years. Garvan has worked behind the scenes bringing knowledge and skills at an international level enabling big scale tenders to happen all-over Europe for the first time. Such frameworks have received praise also from outside Europe.