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Draft:George Nounesis

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George Nounesis (/ˈʝor.ɣos ˈnu.ne.sis/; Greek: Γιώργος Νούνεσης) is a Greek physicist and researcher,[1] currently Director and Chairman of the Board of the National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos" one of the largest public research centers of Greece. He is known for his contributions to the fields of liquid-crystal phase transitions and critical phenomena, biophysics and nanotechnology. During his two-term tenure as Director of Demokritos (2017-2021 & 2021–2021), he has implemented reforms that fueled the transformation from a center focused on Nuclear Research in the 1960s to a multidisciplinary research center in physical sciences, embracing emerging and disruptive technologies[2],[3],.[4]

In the 2020s Demokritos demonstrates impactful research achievements in AI, Telecoms, Energy, Advanced Materials and Sensors for Environmental and Cyclic-Economy Applications. In 2022 Nounesis was successful in establishing the first Research Institute of Greece in Quantum Computing and Quantum Technology[5][6] and in 2024 the Institute of Microsystems, Microelectronics and Micromechanics. Nounesis has also implemented reforms that lead to a significant increase of the Demokritos' technology transfer performance, resulting in successful spin-offs and collaborations with private corporations from multinationals to startups[7] . His leadership is defined by his vision to accelerate Greece's global competitiveness in Research and Innovation. His strategy is especially focused upon creating opportunities for talented Greek scientists abroad to return and contribute their world-class research to the country.[8]

Early life and family

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Nounesis was born and raised in Corfu, Greece. He is married to Urania (Ranny) Dafni,[9] who is currently a Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Athens, Greece, Director of Frontier Science Foundation-Hellas (FSF-H)[10] and Group Statistician for the European Thoracic Oncology Platform (ETOP).[11] Urania Dafni gained her Doctor of Science degree in 1993 in Biostatistics at the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA. They have two children.

Research and career

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Nounesis studied Physics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (BSc). He received his PhD[12] in experimental condensed matter physics at the School of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Minnesota.[13] His doctoral research was mainly focused on smectic-hexatic liquid-crystal phase transitions with Professor Cheng Cher Huang[14] being his thesis advisor. After his PhD, Nounesis completed a three-year Postdoctoral training at the MIT Chemistry Department (Professor Carl Garland's[15] Laboratory). Afterwards he held Research Staff appointments at the MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering[16] and the Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory[17] collaborating with the research groups of Professors Robert J. Birgeneau and J.D. Litster.

At Demokritos he founded and directed the Biomolecular Physics Laboratory[18] conducting research on structure-based thermostability of biomolecules, mainly proteins, as well as on biophysical studies of biomolecular interactions. Moreover, in collaboration with the Jozef Stefan Institute[19] in Slovenia (Dr. S. Kutnjak[20]) he carried-out experimental studies of the interactions of surface-functionalized nanoparticles with topological defects of liquid crystalline materials.[21] He has taken short sabbatical leaves at the Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal at CNRS[22] and the Chemistry Department of the University of Bordeaux I,[23] as invited professor. In 2011 Nounesis attended the Executive Education Program on "Innovation for Economic Development" at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.[24]

Since 2017 he has served as the Director & Chairman of the Board of the National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos".[25] His first term ended in 2021 and he was re-elected for a second term from 2021 to 2025. During his tenure, he spearheaded the Expansion of the NCSRD Infrastructure Project[26] a €48 million construction initiative co-financed by the European Investment Bank and the State of Greece.

Under his leadership, "Lefkippos[27]", the technology park at Demokritos evolved into a dynamic organization supporting and accelerating innovative deep-tech entrepreneurship.[28] He pioneered the Stavros Niarchos Industrial Fellowship Program[29] and founded AHEDD,[30] (the Attica Hub for the Economy of Data and Devices), which coordinates initiatives like "Smart Attica[31]", one of Greece's European Digital Innovation Hubs. Since 2020, he has been a member of the board of the Hellenic Space Center,[32][33] contributing his expertise to national space initiatives. In 2022 he was elected as a member of the NATO Secretary General's Advisory Group[34] on emerging and disruptive technologies.  He also serves as an expert reviewer of several national and international research funding organizations in the European Commission, the USA (NSF), Poland, Turkey, Belgium and Greece.

In recent years, George Nounesis has expanded his focus to include the ethical and socio-political implications of artificial intelligence.[35] He has participated in multiple conferences and discussions on AI ethics, contributing to debates on the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.[36] Nounesis also actively supports initiatives at Demokritos that promote interdisciplinary collaboration between technologists, ethicists, and policymakers, emphasizing the need for ethical frameworks that guide technological innovation in ways that serve societal well-being.[37]

Awards and distinctions

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For his work, George Nounesis has received awards and distinctions from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation,[38] the Empirikion Foundation,[39] the United States Department of the Navy and the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota.

References

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  1. ^ "George Nounesis". scholar.google.gr. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  2. ^ Greece 2.0 National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Εθνικό Σχέδιο Ανάκαμψης και Ανθεκτικότητας, Ελλάδα 2.0 (12 June 2023). "Μεταφραστική Έρευνα σε Τεχνολογίες Βιώσιμων Υλικών (σε συνεργασία με το MIT)" (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Χρηματοδοτείται η Μεταφραστική Έρευνα σε τεχνολογίες βιώσιμων υλικών". www.liberal.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  4. ^ Bakker, Nicole. "This 3D printer can figure out how to print with an unknown material". MIT Media Lab. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  5. ^ "Institute of Quantum Computing and Quantum Technology". www.demokritos.gr. Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  6. ^ Ελαφρός, Γιάννης (2023-03-28). "Κβαντικό άλμα στον «Δημόκριτο»". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  7. ^ "Demokritos Innovation". Retrieved 2024-09-19.
  8. ^ "Reversing Greece's Brain Drain". Podcasting with John Metaxas. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  9. ^ "Biographies | ESMO". www.esmo.org.
  10. ^ "Urania Dafni".
  11. ^ "ETOP". www.etop.ibcsg.org.
  12. ^ Nounesis, George Fidias (1990). On the Nature of the Smectic-A-hexatic-B Phase Transition of Liquid Crystals. University of Minnesota.
  13. ^ "School of Physics and Astronomy | College of Science and Engineering". cse.umn.edu. December 20, 2024.
  14. ^ "Cheng-Cher Huang". cse.umn.edu.
  15. ^ "Carl W. Garland – John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation…".
  16. ^ "MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering". MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
  17. ^ "Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory - MIT". web.mit.edu.
  18. ^ "NOUNESIS GEORGIOS-INRASTES - Official Web Site". Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  19. ^ "JSI - Institut "Jožef Stefan"". www.ijs.si.
  20. ^ "Zdravko Kutnjak, Prof. Dr". scholar.google.com.
  21. ^ Karatairi, Eva; Rožič, Brigita; Kutnjak, Zdravko; Tzitzios, Vassilios; Nounesis, George; Cordoyiannis, George; Thoen, Jan; Glorieux, Christ; Kralj, Samo (April 2010). "Nanoparticle-induced widening of the temperature range of liquid-crystalline blue phases". Physical Review E. 81 (4): 041703. Bibcode:2010PhRvE..81d1703K. doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.81.041703.
  22. ^ "Le Laboratoire".
  23. ^ "Chemistry Faculty". University of Bordeaux. January 30, 2023.
  24. ^ "Harvard Kennedy School of Government". sfs.harvard.edu.
  25. ^ "About Us – National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos".
  26. ^ "NCSR DEMOKRITOS INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION PROJECT". www.eib.org. Retrieved 2024-09-20.
  27. ^ "::Τεχνολογικό Πάρκο "ΛΕΥΚΙΠΠΟΣ"::".
  28. ^ "National Research Center Demokritos: Report on the future of Generative AI in Greece-A new cutting-edge Data Center and AI Hub". Greek News Agenda. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-26. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |DUPLICATE_access-date= ignored (help)
  29. ^ "Bridging the Gap between Academic Research and the Market in Greece - Stavros Niarchos Foundation". www.snf.org.
  30. ^ "ahedd – Digital Innovation Hub". ahedd.demokritos.gr.
  31. ^ "Smart Attica EDIH". www.smartattica.eu.
  32. ^ "Hellenic Space Center – Ελληνικό Κέντρο Διαστήματος".
  33. ^ "Governing Board – Hellenic Space Center". Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  34. ^ https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2022/10/pdf/221115-EDT-Advisory-Group.pdf
  35. ^ "National Research Center Demokritos: Report on the future of Generative AI in Greece-A new cutting-edge Data Center and AI Hub". Greek News Agenda. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  36. ^ "The Lyceum Project: AI Ethics with Aristotle-Ethics in AI". www.oxford-aiethics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  37. ^ "TITAN | Fighting disinformation through intelligent coaching". Titan. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
  38. ^ "John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation". John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.
  39. ^ "Εμπειρίκειον Ίδρυμα – Έτος Ιδρύσεως: 1964".
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