Management Team
Annette Krop-Benesch
Coordinator of ELPC
… is a chronobiologist and independent science communicator, author, and consultant on the ecological and health impacts of ALAN. She works with NGOs, research groups, companies, communities, light planers, and lighting manufacturers to raise awareness for the dark side of artificial light and to create more sustainable lighting solutions. She sees her role in translating scientific results to people from all professions, backgrounds, and age, looking for common grounds.
Annette is also deeply in love with the night, all kinds of nocturnal creatures, and the stars, so she wants to win people over to the Dark Side of the Night. Annette has authored several articles, reports, and a book on light pollution, as well as education material. She is co-chair of the ALAN conference steering committee, and a member of the German Society for lighting technology and design (LiTG).
Yana Yakushina
Coordinator of ELPC
… is a lawyer, researcher, and dark sky protection educator. She is actively involved in initiatives related to dark sky protection and space law.
Currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Ghent (Belgium) as part of the Horizon EU project – PLAN-B, Yana is actively shaping the legal framework for recognising light pollution as a critical environmental concern. Yana also serves as one of the scientific coordinators of the PLAN-B project. On the space law front, she serves as the Deputy Executive Director at the Space Court Foundation Inc., overseeing projects that regulate space activities globally, including the “Big Book of Space Law.”
Yana has successfully participated in international legal research projects in dark sky protection and space law, collaborating with organizations such as the EU Commission, DarkSky International, Starlight Foundation, International Astronomical Union, and UNOOSA, among others. Leading a research group within the IAU CPS Policy Hub, Yana analyzes national approaches to protecting dark and quiet skies.
Additionally, Yana is a member and advisor of various NGOs, including Dark-Sky International, Starlight Foundation, and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). In 2023, she became a board member and co-founder of the Belgian dark sky protection organization – Living Night (IDA Chapter)..
… has been an amateur astronomer for more than 45 years and is active at the Peterberg Observatory (www.sternwarte-peterberg.de) and the Nohfelden Space Atelier (apollo-13.eu). He discovered his passion for astrophotography at a young age. As a member of the ‘International DarkSky Association’ (www.darksky.org), he combines tourism, astronomy, health, environmental and nature conservation on a voluntary basis with helpers in the Sankt-Wendeler-Land region. He succeeded in transforming the little community “Eiweiler” to a certified Dark Sky Community.
… is a researcher on Dark Skies in society, tourism and policy engagement. She is currently completing an employment-based PhD Scholarship from Research Ireland with University of Galway as the Mayo Dark Sky Park Development Officer at National Parks & Wildlife Service. With a background in Outdoor and Environmental Education, Georgia has been involved in research and advocacy for dark skies since 2013 and is a practitioner of dark sky tourism. She was a founder member of the Friends of Mayo Dark Skies Community group, and a founding board member of Dark Sky Ireland – an NGO which seeks to Restore and Protect Dark Skies across Ireland.
Board of Directors
Andreas Hänel
Director
… is an astrophysicist and former director of the Planetarium and Museum in Osnabrück, Germany. Andreas started to act against light pollution in the 1990s, and is well connected in Europe and beyond, working successfully to bring dark sky protectors together.
He is the speaker of the Verein der Sternenfreunde, Germany, and the German ambassador of Dark Sky International. Andreas has supported the applications of several Dark Sky Parks, including parks in Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, USA, and France and counsels communities and regions about the reduction of light pollution. He also coordinates different research and conservation projects against light pollution and is currently involved in the Working Group „Dark Sky“ of the Wadden Sea Forum and the Interreg-Project Watten-Agenda 2.0, KID – Keep It Dark, and Darker Sky.
His engagement and expertise have earned him the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany and the unofficial title of “Dark Sky Pope”. Andreas has also been rewarded with the Galileo-Award der International Dark Sky Association IDA and the Grüne Palme Award for sustainable tourism.
Elena Maggi
Director
… is a Professor in Ecology at the Department of Biology of the University of Pisa (UNIPI). Since her PhD, she has gained experience in research on assessment of the consequences of natural and anthropogenic factors (including climate change and extreme events) in structuring or modifying coastal marine habitats. Since 2016, she has investigated the effects of night-time light pollution on coastal communities, and in particular on trophic networks that include primary producers such as seaweeds, seagrasses and microalgae.
She is the coordinator of the AquaPLAN project, funded under the Horizon Europe programme, which deals with the interactive effect between light and noise pollution in marine and freshwater habitats. Within the project, she is the leader of activities aimed at monitoring and evaluate the effect of artificial light and noise on two priority subtidal habitats: seagrass meadows and macroalgal forests in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Italy).
She is member of GOALANN, an international network of the world’s leading experts in marine light pollution, whose mission is to conserve the oceans by improving knowledge and awareness of marine light pollution, its ecological and societal impacts, and management options
Kerem Asfuroglu
Director
… is the founder of Dark Source, an award-winning lighting design studio driven by environmental values based in the UK & Ireland. Following his graduation from Wismar University – Architectural Lighting Design MA in 2010, Kerem worked in the lighting industry for almost a decade before setting up Dark Source in 2019. He has been awarded with the title of Dark Sky Defender by the IDA for advocating the importance of darkness through design. Some of his environmental lighting projects include the Plas Y Brenin Outdoor Centre, Presteigne Dark Sky Community, Newport Dark Sky Masterplan, Cloughjordan Ecovillage and Cumbria TAN Dark Sky Planning Policy.
Raul C. Lima
Director
Assistant Professor of Physics, School of Health of the Polytechnic University of Porto (E2S | PPorto), coordinator of the new Applied Health Physics degree, and researcher in light pollution at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences – Univ Coimbra (IA). PhD in Engineering Physics (Fac. of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra), with a thesis in modelling and measurement of light pollution, where the Peneda-Gerês National Park and the current Dark Sky Alqueva (the first Starlight Tourism Destination), to which certification he contributed, were the regions of study. Author and co-author of scientific articles in the area, as well as articles in the press and magazines. Coordinator of the science and citizenship initiative Education on Light Pollution (derived from the Stars4All H2020 project), in partnership with researchers and the astronomical association Agrupacíon Ío, from Galicia. Former president of the ENGO FAPAS (Fund for the Protection of Wild Animals) and co-founder and editor of the quarterly magazine Tribuna da Natureza: A Vida Selvagem nas 4 Estações (Nature’s Tribune: The Wildlife in the 4 Seasons), edited by FAPAS (2000-2009, 32 issues). Light pollution consultancy for municipalities, namely the city of Porto, Portugal. Organizer and collaborator of activities to raise awareness on light pollution and in the definition of policies and regulation of artificial light at night in Portugal and Europe, activities that he maintains regularly.
Tyrolian Environmental Ombudsoffice
Director
The Tyrol Competence Center on Light Pollution and Dark Skies is a hub of knowledge, practice, and exploration with a wide range of responsibilities and services. The Center has been founded and is run by the Tyrolean environmental Ombudsoffice, an independent institution of the Austrian province of Tyrol that represents the interests of nature and the environment in nature conservation approval procedures. In EPLC, the center is represented by Stefanie Suchy, expert on light pollution since 2011 (Plight with Light), and Stefanie Pontasch, fostering European cooperations since 2016.