NIKOLAOS SAPIDIS

Nikolaos Sapidis is a Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Macedonia, Greece, leading the 'Division of Constructions and Materials'. His career spans over three decades with previous roles at the University of the Aegean and multiple academic/research institutions including the National Technical University of Athens and Technical University of Catalonia. He earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Sciences from the University of Rochester, USA, and holds degrees in Applied Mathematics (University of Utah) and Naval Architecture (National Technical University of Athens).

His research focuses on Computational Design and Analysis, including CAD/CAE integration, geometric modeling of curves/surfaces, virtual engineering, and finite-element methodologies. Notable areas include solid modeling, point-cloud-based CAD, reverse engineering, and virtual reality applications in mechanical systems. He has authored over 80 publications and actively contributes to editorial boards of journals like Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Design and Applications.

His work emphasizes practical industrial applications, with research implemented in systems by companies like General Motors and Mercedes-Benz. Key contributions include algorithms for shape preservation in curves/surfaces, automated assembly design frameworks, and finite-element model optimization for large-scale systems. He directs the Laboratory of Mechanical Systems, advancing interdisciplinary research in mechanical design and virtual engineering.