Orfanakis Michalis

Dr. Michalis Orfanakis is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL) of FORTH, and a PhD candidate in Biophotonics. His primary research focuses on developing spectroscopic and photoacoustic techniques for bio-marker monitoring. Additionally, he serves as a secondary education science teacher, specializing in adapting advanced scientific research into accessible classroom projects. His work bridges academic research and STEM education, earning him multiple European accolades.

Education:

• MSc in Microelectronics and Optoelectronics from the Physics Department, University of Crete.
• Current PhD candidate at the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI), IESL-FORTH.

Research Interests:

• Development of advanced optical techniques for biomedical applications.
• Integration of cutting-edge science into school curricula through projects like the Optical CT Scanner and Optical Tweezers setups.

Notable Projects:

• Optical CT Scanner using Lego and Arduino for demonstrating tomography principles in schools.
• Optical Tweezers setup to teach fundamental physics concepts.

Awards:

• European STEM Teacher Award (2017, 2019).
• Science on Stage Europe 1st Prize (2019, 2017).
• Science on Stage Greece 1st Prize (2018, 2016).

Advising & Grants:

While no formal advisees are listed, his educational projects have received institutional support. His research at LBMI likely involves collaborative grants, though specifics are not detailed.

Labs & Teams:

Member of the Laboratory for Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging (LBMI) at IESL-FORTH, contributing to interdisciplinary bio-imaging projects.