Velegrakis Michalis

Dr. Velegrakis Michalis is a Researcher Emeritus at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL) of the Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH), Greece. He has held roles such as Research Director (2014–present), Principal Researcher (1999–2014), and Visiting Professor at the Physics Department of the University of Crete (1991–1994). His career includes research positions at FORTH-IESL since 1995 and a Research Assistantship at the University of Bielefeld, Germany (1988–1991).

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Bielefeld, Germany (1987)
• B.Sc., University of Ioannina, Greece (1979)

Research Focus:
His work integrates photonics and machine learning to address challenges in agrofood and environmental sectors. Key areas include:

• Quality and authenticity assessment of olive oil, dairy products, and honey using spectroscopic methods
• Climate change mitigation strategies for Mediterranean agriculture
• Optical monitoring of wine production parameters

Projects & Labs:
He leads initiatives such as the Agrophotonics group, developing innovative technologies for food safety, environmental protection, and agricultural sustainability.