Dr. Ioanna Kakoulli received her Doctorate in Materials Science from the University of Oxford and her Postgraduate Diploma and MSc in Conservation of Mural Paintings and Conservation Science, respectively, from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. She is currently a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at UCLA, with joint appointments in the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program and the Archaeology Interdepartmental Program. She also holds the title of Adjunct Professor at the University of Cyprus.

Dr. Kakoulli served as Chair of the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program (2011–2017) and was honored with the inaugural Lore and Gerald Cunard Chair in Conservation. From July 2023 to June 2024, she served as Acting Director of the UCLA Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture, where she provided strategic leadership, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and enhancing the Center’s academic and research impact.

Dr. Kakoulli's service to UCLA extends beyond her departmental roles, as she has held significant leadership positions in the Academic Senate. She was Chair of the Graduate Council (2015–2016), a Member of the Executive Board of the Academic Senate, and served on the Coordinating Committee for Graduate Affairs (CCGA) at the University of California Office of the President. From 2018 to 2021, she was a Member of the Committee on Committees of the Academic Senate, contributing to key university governance and strategic decisions.

As a scholar, Dr. Kakoulli has led research in five core areas: 1) reverse engineering of ancient technology, 2) forensic archaeology, 3) material agency and the environment, 4) archaeo-inspired materials, and 5) sustainable biocultural conservation. She founded the Archaeomaterials Research Group and the Molecular and Nano Archaeology Laboratory at UCLA, both of which are renowned for interdisciplinary collaborations on a global scale. Her research has resulted in numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as Nature and the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Her leadership also extends to program development, having spearheaded the creation of an interdisciplinary PhD program in Conservation of Material Culture at UCLA, which has become a model for integrating science and heritage conservation. She has mentored over 40 graduate students, many of whom now hold prominent roles in academia, museums, and industry.

Dr. Kakoulli's expertise in forensic archaeology has had significant real-world impact, including her work with Homeland Security to combat the illicit trade of antiquities. She organized the first-ever training workshops in the western U.S. for special agents and custom officers, focused on the trafficking of cultural heritage objects.

Her global academic influence is reflected in her keynote presentations at conferences across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and her work as a consultant for UNESCO, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and other organizations. Dr. Kakoulli has raised over $2.7 million in research and endowed funds for the UCLA/Getty Conservation Program and contributed to the founding of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Center for the Study of Hellenic Culture at UCLA.

Her distinguished contributions to research and education have earned her numerous awards, including the inaugural Visiting Professorship in Archaeological Materials Science at MIT. Dr. Kakoulli continues to lead and innovate at the intersection of archaeology, materials science, and cultural heritage conservation.