Getting to Know
Dr. Georgios
Arseniou
Where did you grow up? What
were your formative childhood
experiences with nature?
Georgios Arseniou: I grew up in Greece on Thasos
Island in the North Aegean Sea. The European Union's
Natura 2000 initiative designated protected forests on
Thasos Island of pines (e.g., Pinus brutia, P. nigra, P.
halepensis), juniper thickets (e.g., Juniperus excelsa),
oaks (e.g., Quercus coccifera), European yew (Taxus
baccata), and sycamores (e.g., Platanus orientalis).
As a small child I visited nearby forest areas with
my family almost every weekend, where we would
hike and watch birds. These are my first forestry-re-
lated memories, and they definitely shaped my
passion for nature conservation and forest ecology.
20 CityTREES
UCFS Member Dr. Georgios Arseniou is an
Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist of
Urban Forestry at Auburn University & the
Alabama Cooperative Extension System in
Auburn, Alabama. He has a PhD in Forestry
(2021) from Michigan State University,
where his research used novel terrestrial
laser scanning technology to model urban
forest growth, urban forest biomass, and
structural complexity (specifically: fractal
dimension), and wood properties of urban
trees. You can read two detailed UCFS blog
posts about his research here and here.
When did you know you
wanted to study forestry?
GA: By the last year of high school, I knew I wanted
to study and work close to nature. We have some
family friends who are foresters; they advised me
to consider the Department of Forestry and Natural
Environment at Aristotle University in Greece.
After the first year of my studies there, I knew that
I wanted to pursue an academic career as a for-
estry scientist. Forestry is a multidisciplinary science
where everyone can find their niche, from forest
economics and policy to forest ecology and novel
technologies applied in forest management.
Please tell us about your master's
and doctoral studies.
GA: During my undergraduate studies in Greece I got
very interested in novel technologies applied in for-
estry, so I decided to do my master's in the field of GIS
and Remote Sensing. I also wanted to study abroad
because I enjoy getting to know different cultures
and studying or working with people from diverse
cultural backgrounds. At that time, I learned about
the German Academic Exchange Service program
(DAAD) which offers competitive fellowships to stu-
dents from all over the world who are interested
in pursuing their graduate studies in Germany.
