Professor Elia Psillakis, School of Environmental Engineering
“Emerging and Persistent Organic Pollutants in Aquatic Environment: Mega-sized concerns from a nano-sized world”
In an informative talk, germane to our contemporary environmental status, Dr. Psillakis presented the challenges faced by communities around the globe to protect water quality. She indicated that a wide range of anthropogenic organic contaminants, such as PCBs, in water continues to threaten human health and the natural environment. A brief overview revealed that her research aims at the detection and identification of emerging and persistent organic pollutants in water and summarized the challenges we now face in light of the presence of different classes of contaminants, such as personal care products, flame retardants and nanoparticles in aquatic environments.
Professor George Karatzas, School of Environmental Engineering
“Groundwater: Myths and Facts”
Professor George Karatzas gave an informative talk entitled "Groundwater: Myths and Facts". The audience learned not only about the geological status of groundwater, but also about implications related to drilling and seawater infiltration particularly within the Greek context.
Professor Dionissios Hristopoulos, School of Mineral Resources Engineering
“A Scientific Career as a Biased Random Walk: A Personal Perspective”
Professor Dionissios Hristopoulos, from the School of Mineral Resources Engineering, gave a well-received talk at the Language Centre. Students were both informed and encouraged by his lecture in which he described his own academic journey from his undergraduate years in Electrical Engineering to his graduate studies at Princeton, NJ and from his time as a faculty member at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill to his position as Research Scientist at Pointe Claire, Québec, all before finally joining the faculty of TUC in 2002. Keeping an open mind, having a passion, not giving up, and working hard in preparation for that all important moment when opportunity knocks were key to his message.
Ass. Professor Dionysia Kolokotsa, School of Mineral Resources Engineering
“Smart Buildings - Smart Grids - Smart Communities: The Role of Internet in the Energy Management of the Built Environment”
Dr. Denia Kolokotsa, faculty member in the School of Environmental Engineering presented in her talk the subject “Smart buildings-Smart Grids-Smart communities: The role of Internet in the Energy Management of the Built Environment” that was enthusiastically received by the audience. Dr. Kolokotsa’s lecture, both informative and illuminating, presented the concepts of the smart grid and the smart building, and the use of IoT (the Internet of Things) to sustainably manage energy in buildings by reducing consumption to zero or nearly zero energy (NZEB). Within this context, she discussed a case study at the Technical University of Crete. When asked if she was optimistic about the future of research in the area and its applications, Dr. Kolokotsa was positive, engendering a sense of hope in the role science and engineering can play in finding environmental solutions.
Professor Alexandros Gotsis
School of Mineral Resources Engineering
“Materials Selection in the Design and Manufacturing of Industrial Products”
On December 7th, 2016 the Language Centre was pleased to welcome our final speaker for this semester Professor Alexandros Gotsis from the School of Mineral Resources Engineering. Professor Gotsis spoke on the process involved in the selection of materials for manufacturing. Offering an insight into the technical features of that process, including properties, cost, and sustainability, his talk presented students with an opportunity to listen to a lecture of the kind heard in English speaking universities.
