Positions:
Senior Researcher
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, Lead Focal Point for Eastern Europe (2026 – 2029 Mandate)
Research interests:
- Social Network Analysis
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Conservation Biology
Research projects:
- 09/2024 – 08/2026 – MSCA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow – University of Granada, Department of Civil Engineering, Spain – NETDEAL, Horizon Grant agreement ID: 101152528.
- 2020 – 2024 – Expert contributor and proposal writing, LIFE19NAT/RO/000023 “Conservation of saproxylic beetles in the Carpathians” EU LIFE Programme. Funding body: EU – The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
- 2019 – 2023 – Project manager, University of Bucharest, Centre for Environmental Research (CCMESI), Project: “Active measures to protect and conserve biodiversity and landscape in the Iron Gates Natural Park area, SMIS 117515”
- 2019 – 2023 – Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Bucharest, Centre for Environmental Research (CCMESI), Project: “Appropriate management of invasive species in Romania, in accordance with EU Regulation 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species”
- 2020 – 2022: Benefits and constraints of joint decision making in Romania. From public participation to collaborative Environmental Impact Assessment /, Project number: PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-1039, TE 51/28.08.2020
- 2020 – 2022: Developing novel collaborative planning approaches to increase cities sustainability – Project number: PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-1009 – TE 52/2020
- 02/2019 – 06/2019, Fulbright Senior Award, Ohio State University, USA, principal investigator
- 2017-2019: A social network approach for assessing sustainability of traditionally managed grasslands in a policy-driven management context, PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2016-0483, UEFISCDI, co-principal investigator
- 2017-2019: Argos based applications for real time wildlife monitoring in Romania, PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2016-0568, UEFISCDI, Postdoctoral researcher
- 2015-2017: Integrating social network theory into systematic conservation planning, PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1039, UEFISCDI, Postdoctoral researcher
- 2012-2013: Landscape integration in the procedure of environmental impact assessment, Swiss Scientific Exchange Programme, Sciex-NMS 12.139. Project coordinator.
Publications:
- Nita, A., Toro, M. Z., Rozylowicz, L. (2026). Improving Environmental Policies and Impact Assessments through Network Analysis for Accelerated SDG 13 – Climate Action. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1582(1), 012023.
- Nita, A., Fineran, S., Fisher, W., Zamorano, M., Rozylowicz, L. (2026). Climate change impact assessment: the state of the art. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 1–12.
- Nita, A., Zamorano, M. (2026) NetDeal: Streamlining Environmental Impact Assessment complex networks to integrate new EU environmental policies. Research Ideas and Outcomes 12.
- Nita A., Zamorano M., Caro-González A.L., Rozylowicz L. (2025). Driving climate action: brokers as catalysts in EU policy networks. Applied Network Science, 10(1):41.
- Bădărău, A. S., Pop, M., Püsök, I., et al., Nita A. (2025). Applying the Cultural Values Model to assess biocultural change in Eastern European wood-pastures. People and Nature, 7, 3126–313.
- Nita, A., Zamorano, M., Rozylowicz, L., 2025. Exploring legal frameworks for climate action: a network analysis of Green Deal, EU Directives, and environmental assessment indicators. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 3140, 162005.
- Nita A., Reti K.O., Petrescu-Mag R.M., Petrescu D.C., Malos C., Csakany L., Gross D., Wagener F., Rozylowicz L., Hartel T. (2024) Understanding nature’s contributions to people in ancient biocultural systems through network and RLQ analysis. Ecosystems and People 20(1):2426711.
- Pindaru L.C., Nita A., Niculae M.I., Rozylowicz L. (2024) Institutional Grammar Tool for Policy Analysis: A Systematic Review of Literature. Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning, 15(2), 97-107
- Vijulie I., Preda M., Nita A., Tudoricu A. (2024) Opportunities to Capitalize on Transylvanian Wood Pastures through Nature-Based Tourism: A Case Study of Viscri Village, Brașov County, Romania. Forests 15(4):704.
- Rozylowicz L., Popescu V.D., Manolache S., Nita A., Gradinaru S.R., Mirea M.D., Bancila R.I. (2024) Occupancy and N-mixture modeling applications in ecology: a bibliometric analysis. Global Ecology and Conservation e02838
- Caro-Gonzalez A.L., Nita A., Toro J., Zamorano M. (2023) From procedural to transformative: A review of the evolution of effectiveness in EIA. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 103: 107256.
- Pindaru C.L., Nita A., Niculae I.M., Manolache, S., Rozylowicz L. (2023) More streamlined and targeted. A comparative analysis of the 7th and 8th Environment Action Programmes guiding European environmental policy. Heliyon e19212.
- Mitincu C.G, Niță M-R, Hossu C.A, Iojă I.C, Nita A (2023) Stakeholders’ involvement in the planning of Nature-based Solutions. A network analysis approach. Environmental Science and Policy 141:69-79
- Nita M.R., Mitincu CG., Nita A. (2023) A river runs through it? Exploring the contestation of Environmental Impact Assessment procedures for small hydropower projects. Energy Research and Social Science 96: 102943
- Hossu C.A., Oliveira E., Nita A. (2022) Streamline democratic values in planning systems: a study of participatory practices in European strategic spatial planning. Habitat International 129: 102675
- Gavrilidis A.A., Nita A, Rozylowicz L. (2022) Past local industrial disasters and involvement of NGOs stimulate public participation in transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment. Journal of Environmental Management 324: 116271
- Nita A., Hossu C.A., Mitincu C.G., Iojă I.C. (2022) A review of the quality of environmental impact statements with a focus on urban projects from Romania, Ecological Informatics 101723
- Patru-Stupariu I., Nita A. (2022) Impacts of the European Landscape Convention on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. Landscape Ecology 37, 1211–1225
- Nita A., Fineran S., Rozylowicz L. (2022) Researchers’ perspective on the main strengths and weaknesses of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedures. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 92, 106690
- Mitincu C.G., Ioja I.C., Hossu C.A., Artmann M., Nita A., Nita M.R. (2021) Licensing sustainability related aspects in Strategic Environmental Assessment. Evidence from Romania’s urban areas. Land Use Policy 108, 105572.
- Mirea M.D., Manolache S., Pioarca-Ciocanea C.M., Nita A., Miu I.V., Popescu V.D., Brodie B.S., Dragomir M.I., Militaru I., Chiriac S., Rozylowicz L. (2021) Conservation of saproxylic beetles in the Carpathians. Research Ideas and Outcomes 7, e63874
- Pătru-Stupariu I., Hossu C.A., Grădinaru S.R., Nita A., Stupariu M.S., Huzui-Stoiculescu A., Gavrilidis A.A. (2020). A Review of Changes in Mountain Land Use and Ecosystem Services: From Theory to Practice. Land 9(9), 336.
- Pătru-Stupariu I., Nita A., Mustăţea M., Huzui-Stoiculescu A., Fürst C. (2020). Using social network methodological approach to better understand human–wildlife interactions. Land Use Policy 99, 105009.
- Manolache S., Nita A., Hartel T., Miu I.V., Ciocanea C.M., Rozylowicz L. (2020) Governance networks around grasslands with contrasting management history. Journal of Environmental Management 273, 11115
- Hartel T., Nita A., Rozylowicz L. (2020) Understanding human-nature connections through value networks: the case of ancient wood-pastures of Central Romania, Sustainability Science 15, 1357–1367
- Panzaru M.D.R., Ioja I.C., Nita A. (2020) Are Nature-based Solutions a new approach in post-industrial regeneration projects?, Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences 15, 179 – 188.
- Gavrilidis A.A., Nita A., Niculae M.I. (2020) Assessing the Potential Conflict Occurrence Due to Metropolitan Transportation Planning: A Proposed Quantitative Approach. Sustainability 12, 527.
- Nita A. (2019) Empowering impact assessments knowledge and international research collaboration – a bibliometric analysis of Environmental Impact Assessment Review journal. Environmental Impact Assessment Review 78:106283.
- Nita A., Hartel T., Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Miu I.V., Rozylowicz L. (2019) Who is researching biodiversity hotspots in Eastern Europe? A case study on the grasslands in Romania. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0217638.
- Badiu D.L., Nita A., Ioja I.C., Niță M.R. (2019) Disentangling the connections: a network analysis of approaches to urban green infrastructure, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 41: 211-220.
- Rozylowicz L., Nita A., Manolache S., Popescu V.D., Hartel T. (2019) Navigating protected areas networks for improving diffusion of conservation practices. Journal of Environmental Management 230: 413-421.
- Rozylowicz L., Bodescu F.P., Ciocanea C.M., Gavrilidis A.A., Manolache S., Matache M.L., Miu I.V., Moale I.C., Nita A., Popescu V.D. (2019) Empirical analysis and modeling of Argos Doppler location errors in Romania. PeerJ 7:e6362.
- Nita A., Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Rozylowicz L. (2019) Real-World Application of Ego-Network Analysis to Evaluate Environmental Management Structures. In: Karampelas P., Kawash J., Özyer T. (eds) From Security to Community Detection in Social Networking Platforms. ASONAM 2017. Lecture Notes in Social Networks. Springer, Cham, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11286-8_1
- Miu I.V., Chisamera G.B., Popescu V.D., Iosif R., Nita A., Manolache S., Gavril V.D., Cobzaru I., Rozylowicz L. (2018) Conservation priorities for terrestrial mammals in Dobrogea region, Romania. Zookeys 792: 133-158.
- Nita A., Ciocanea C.M., Manolache S., Rozylowicz L. (2018) A network approach for understanding opportunities and barriers to effective public participation in the management of protected areas. Social Network Analysis and Mining 8:31
- Manolache S., Nita A., Ciocanea C.M., Popescu V.D., Rozylowicz L. (2018) Power, influence and structure in Natura 2000 governance networks. A comparative analysis of two protected areas in Romania. Journal of Environmental Management, 212: 54–64.
- Pop I.M., Bereczky L., Chiriac S., Iosif R., Nita A., Popescu V.D., Rozylowicz L. (2018) Movement ecology of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Romanian Eastern Carpathians, Nature Conservation, 26: 15-31.
- Rozylowicz L., Nita A., Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Popescu V.D. (2017) Recipe for success: A network perspective of partnership in nature conservation. Journal for Nature Conservation 38: 21-29.
- Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Rozylowicz L., Nita A. (2017), Natura 2000 in Romania – A Decade of Governance Challenges. European Journal of Geography 8(2): 24-34.
- Nita A., Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Rozylowicz, L. (2017) A social network approach to diagnose public participation in protected areas management. Insights from a Natura 2000 case study. Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining: 771-774. doi: 10.1145/3110025.3110124
- Nita A., Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Rozylowicz, L. (2017) Characterizing protected areas management using ego-networks. Proceedings of the 2017 IEEE/ACM International Conference on Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining: 642-643. doi: 10.1145/3110025.3110079
- Nita A., Rozylowicz L., Manolache S., Ciocanea C.M., Miu I., Popescu V.D. (2016) Collaboration Networks in Applied Conservation Projects across Europe, PLOS ONE, 11(10) e0164503.
- Nita A. (2016) Integrarea peisajului în procedura de Evaluare a Impactului asupra Mediului, Editura Etnologica, ISBN: 978-606-8830-09-4
- Nita A., Butler A., Rozylowicz L., Pătru-Stupariu I. (2015) Perception and use of landscape concepts in the procedure of Environmental Impact Assessment: Case study Switzerland and Romania. Land Use Policy 44:145–152.
- Stoiculescu R.C., Huzui A.E., Gavrilidis A., Nita A., Pătru-Stupariu I., Călin I., Cuciulan A. (2014) What is the spatial link between the Roman civilisation and cultural landscape in Romania? Journal of Maps 10 (2), 297 – 307.
Contact: andreea.nita[at]cc.unibuc.ro
