Renia Papathanasiou is a researcher and creator specializing in Extended Reality (XR) technologies and digital games, with extensive experience in the audiovisual sector, innovation, and creative technologies.

She holds a PhD from the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MA in Arts and Virtual Reality from the Athens School of Fine Arts and Université Paris 8, and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Technology and Acoustics from the Mediterranean University of Crete. Her research focuses on the intersection of cinematic storytelling, Extended Reality (XR), Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs), immersive media, and digital games.

Since 2015, she has been active in higher education and vocational training, teaching XR technologies, digital game development, interactive storytelling, and creative technologies. She has taught and collaborated with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the Panteion University, SAE Creative Media College, the Cyprus Institute, and other academic and research institutions.

She has founded and led organizations and companies operating in the fields of XR, interactive applications, and cultural and social innovation. Throughout her career, she has directed the production, design, and management of numerous research and creative projects. She was an active member of the REACT-VR research project, focusing on virtual reality applications for medical rehabilitation, while her work also spans cinema, immersive experiences, serious games, and digital cultural applications.

Since 2025, she has been working at the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center (EKKOMED) as Responsible for Innovation, Gaming and New Technologies at Creative Hub GR. Since May 2026, she has served as Head of Creative Hub GR.

Her work has been presented at international conferences, published in scientific journals and conference proceedings, and showcased at festivals and exhibitions in Greece and abroad.