Michail G. Lagoudakis is a Professor at the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Technical University of Crete. His academic journey includes a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Duke University (2003), an M.Sc. from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette (1998), and a B.Sc. from the University of Patras (1995). He has held prestigious positions such as Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgia Institute of Technology's School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Research Interests : Spanning machine learning (especially reinforcement learning), decision-making under uncertainty, robotics, algorithm selection, computational biology, and human-computer interaction. Publications : Over 15 recent works, including key contributions to robotics (auction-based multi-robot routing), medical diagnosis (urgent endoscopy prediction), and foundational machine learning (Least-Squares Policy Iteration, RCPI algorithm). Scientific Recognition : Recipient of Duke University's Outstanding Dissertation Award (2002-2003) and two Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards. Professional Affiliations : Member of AAAI, IEEE, and ACM. Collaborations include industrial applications in disassembly planning, dynamic packet routing, and medical imaging. He advocates for computational biology and interdisciplinary research, aiming to integrate tools from mathematics and control theory into machine learning.
Alvin Cheung is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science Division at UC Berkeley's EECS department. He is affiliated with the Data Systems and Foundations group, Programming Systems group, Sky Lab, and SLICE Lab, and serves as a faculty affiliate at the Berkeley Institute for Data Science. He advises the Data Science Discovery Program and provides technical guidance to industry partners. His research spans data management, programming languages, and scalable software systems, with emphasis on helping users process large datasets efficiently. Key innovations include verified lifting (applying formal methods and ML to infer program properties) and systems for optimizing database-backed applications and geospatial analytics. Recent work explores LLM-driven code optimization and transpilation techniques. His publications (2023-2025) show strong trends in ML-enhanced systems, verified compilation, and data management tools. Articles frequently integrate formal methods, program synthesis, and hardware-aware optimizations across domains like databases, distributed computing, and HCI. Scientific Awards: ACSIC Rock Star Award (2025) Dahl-Nygaard Junior Prize (2024) VLDB Early Career Research Contribution Award (2023) IEEE TCDE Rising Star Award (2020) Sloan Fellowship (2019) NSF CAREER Award (2017) 20+ additional honors Advising & Grants: He mentors PhD/MS students (e.g., Lily Liu at OpenAI, Chenglong Wang at Microsoft Research). Research is funded by: NSF DOE ONR ARO Intel Notable grants include ONR Young Investigator Award and ARO Early Career Program Award. Labs & Teams: Leads projects in Berkeley's Data Systems/Programming Systems groups and collaborates with Sky Lab/SLICE Lab. Manages labs focused on verified compilation (e.g., Tenspiler) and data infrastructure (e.g., Spatialyze).
Ekaterini Manias is a Professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technical University of Crete . She specializes in perception-based computer graphics, virtual reality, and haptic technologies, leading the SURREAL research group . Education : Ph.D. in Computer Science (University of Bristol, 2001), M.Sc. in Computer Science (University of Bristol, 1996), B.Sc. in Mathematics (University of Crete, 1994). Research Interests span 3D spatial cognition, distributed graphics, human-computer interaction, and gaze-contingent displays. Her work integrates psychophysics, usability engineering, and real-time rendering techniques. Professional Roles : Professor at Technical University of Crete (since Dec 2005) Assistant Professor (tenure 2004) and Lecturer at University of Sussex Researcher at Hewlett Packard Research Laboratories (1996-1998) Coordinator of SURREAL research group Associate Editor for ACM Transactions on Applied Perception and Presence, Teleoperators and Virtual Environments Chair/co-chair roles at ACM Siggraph, Eurographics, and other international conferences
Spyros Syrmakesis is a Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Peloponnese (Patras). He directs the E-Entrepreneurship and Interaction Design Laboratory and participates in StartUp Europe initiatives, focusing on research, innovation, and IT development. Director, E-Entrepreneurship and Interaction Design Laboratory Member, StartUp Europe Research Areas: IT Innovation, Social Web, Start-Up Ecosystems Research Interests : Information Systems, Databases, e-Government, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Mining, Personalized Services, and STEAM Education. His work bridges entrepreneurship with technology, emphasizing start-up creation and adaptive design. Recent Article Trends : Focus on STEAM education (2024), Blue Economy skill development (2024), PBL pedagogy (2024), and assistive technologies for aging populations (2018–2019). Earlier work (2002–2018) explores web personalization, e-commerce, and educational technology frameworks. Labs & Projects : Leads the E-Entrepreneurship and Interaction Design Laboratory. Involved in initiatives like the TRACCE project (2021) for cultural route personalization and RADIO (2019) for robotic assisted living.
Panayiotis Koutsabasis is an Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at the Department of Product & Systems Design Engineering, University of the Aegean, Greece. He has over 20 years of teaching experience in HCI-related courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, supervising over 90 theses. He co-founded the Interactive Systems Design Laboratory and contributed to curriculum development in HCI. His research focuses on HCI design, user experience, natural user interfaces, and cultural heritage applications. Education: Ph.D. in Information and Communication Systems Engineering (2002), University of the Aegean M.Sc. in Information Systems (1997), Athens University of Economics and Business B.Sc. in Informatics (1995), Athens University of Economics and Business Research Interests: HCI principles, user evaluation studies, gesture-based interfaces, mobile HCI, virtual/augmented reality in education and cultural heritage, collaborative design. Over 100 publications in journals like International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction , Virtual Reality , and conferences. Articles Trends: Recent work emphasizes cultural heritage through mixed/augmented reality installations, participatory design methods, and mid-air interaction systems. Emphasis on user experience evaluation in heritage contexts and educational applications. Grants & Projects: Coordinated over 30 EU and national R&D projects, including digital heritage initiatives and HCI education tools. Active in ACM SIGCHI and tactical reviewing for journals/conferences. Labs & Teams: Leads the Interactive Systems Design Laboratory, focusing on innovative HCI solutions for cultural heritage, education, and collaboration.
Spyros Vosinakis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Product and Systems Design Engineering at the University of the Aegean , Greece. He leads the Interactive Systems Design Laboratory and specializes in Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and their applications in education, cultural heritage, and serious games. Education: BSc in Informatics, University of Piraeus, Greece MSc in Computer Graphics & Virtual Environments, University of Hull, UK PhD in Informatics, University of Piraeus, Greece (2003) Research Interests: Focuses on immersive technologies for cultural heritage dissemination, natural user interfaces, and adaptive virtual environments. His work bridges digital humanities with interaction design, emphasizing embodied interaction and accessibility. Recent projects include VR applications for archaeological sites like Delphi, and AR installations for intangible heritage preservation. Publications: Over 70 peer-reviewed papers in journals like Virtual Reality , British Journal of Educational Technology , and International Journal of Computational Methods in Heritage Science . Themes include interaction design in VR, serious games for STEM education, and ethical representation of cultural heritage. Grants & Projects: Principal investigator in 11 R&D projects (3 as coordinator). Collaborates with UNESCO, EU initiatives, and museums on digital heritage preservation. Current work includes XR applications for industrial heritage and accessibility in virtual museums. Labs & Teams: Directs the Interactive Systems Design Laboratory , fostering interdisciplinary projects in HCI, game design, and heritage technology. Advises on industrial partnerships for AR/VR solutions in education and tourism.
Modestos Stavrakis is an Assistant Professor in Interaction Design at the Department of Products and Systems Design Engineering, University of the Aegean. He holds a PhD in Design from the University of the Aegean, an MSc in Computer Aided Graphical Technology Applications, and a BA (First Class Honours) in Creative Visualisation from the University of Teesside (UK). Research Interests : Interaction Design, User Experience, HCI, mHealth, Wearable Computing, and Cultural Heritage Digitization. His work emphasizes collaborative systems and tangible interaction, with applications in healthcare, education, and industrial heritage preservation. Recent Projects : Includes the design of wearable systems for health monitoring (e.g., Raynaud's phenomenon), mixed reality installations for cultural heritage storytelling, and IoT systems for beekeeping. He has coordinated EU-funded projects like ENORASI and GUARDIANS, focusing on virtual environments and accessibility. Teaching : Leads courses in Interaction Design, Interactive Systems Design, and Product Design at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Supervises thesis projects and serves on doctoral committees. Labs/Teams : Involved in interdisciplinary teams developing technologies for cultural heritage, healthcare, and sustainable agriculture. Collaborates with institutions like the Industrial Museum of Hermoupolis and the Tinian Marble Crafts Heritage project.
Alexandra Christina is affiliated with the Department of German Language and Literature at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Her work bridges computational linguistics, human-computer interaction (HCI), and political/journalistic text analysis. She specializes in natural language processing (NLP), sentiment analysis, terminology management, and multilingual applications. Her research focuses on extracting implicit information from spoken and written texts, with applications in medical chatbots, aircraft maintenance communication, and political discourse analysis. Notable projects include the 'Athena' medical chatbot, Gricean maxim modeling in NLP, and HCI design for international conferences. Key Areas: Generative AI, ethical AI frameworks, cross-lingual dialogue systems, and cognitive bias analysis in ancient/modern texts. Publications: Over 100 peer-reviewed articles since 2007, including works on terminology databases, HCI conference proceedings, and sentiment analysis platforms. Her recent work emphasizes socially responsible AI, integrating NLP with ethical guidelines, and leveraging crowd-sourced data for unspoken sentiment detection. She collaborates on multilingual terminology projects like TERMONLINE and CNCTST database initiatives.
George Papagiannakis is a Professor of Computer Graphics at the University of Crete, Greece, and a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow at FORTH's Institute of Computer Science. He holds visiting professorships at the University of Geneva and leads the Computer Graphics Group. His research focuses on mixed reality, GPU programming, and medical XR applications. He earned his PhD from the University of Geneva (2006), M.Sc. from Bristol, and B.Eng. from Manchester. His work includes pioneering projects like MAGES SDK (medical XR training platform) and pyGANDALF (educational framework). Key contributions span over 130 publications, 3400+ citations, and €8M in research funding. He actively participates in EU projects (HDRi, Hifi-PRINTER) and has been awarded the Marie-Curie Fellowship, Best Paper Awards, and NVIDIA grants. Teaching includes advanced courses on computer graphics and programming at the University of Crete. He advises students across 4 postdocs, 15 PhDs, and numerous MSc/BSc candidates. His lab develops cutting-edge tools for immersive technologies, including geometric algebra applications in 5G/6G XR environments.
Associate Professor George Caridakis holds a faculty position at the Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, where he founded the Intelligent Interaction Research Group (ii.aegean.gr). He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Athena Research Center (Athena RC) and a Senior Researcher at the National Technical University of Athens' Intelligent Systems, Content and Interaction Laboratory. His research spans Cultural Informatics, AI-driven Interaction, IoT, Mixed Reality, and Semantic Web technologies, with over 75 publications and an h-index of 20. Caridakis has led or contributed to over 20 European/National projects, focusing on cultural heritage preservation, digital twin technologies, and AI applications in education and tourism. He actively supervises graduate theses and teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His work emphasizes participatory methods, context-aware systems, and cross-disciplinary collaboration in cultural spaces. Education details are not explicitly provided in the text, but his academic trajectory is evident through his roles and projects. Research interests include affective computing, embodied interaction, and heritage digitization. His methodologies often integrate semantic technologies and IoT to solve challenges in cultural preservation and visitor experience optimization. Recent work explores large language models (LLMs) for museum recommendations and robotics in education. Publications reflect a strong focus on cultural heritage management (e.g., digital twins, crowdsourcing, AR), user-centric design (recommender systems, sentiment analysis), and smart systems (IoT in heritage spaces). His projects like CAnTi and CHEKG demonstrate innovation in collaborative methodologies and modular knowledge graphs. Caridakis has served as a journal/conference reviewer and evaluator for funding bodies, contributing to the advancement of interdisciplinary research standards. He leads the OpenLab for Cultural Heritage Conservation, integrating VR/AR for site preservation. Collaborations span academia and industry, emphasizing applied research with practical societal impact. Current initiatives include advancing accessibility through regional digital infrastructures and enhancing citizen engagement via participatory frameworks.
Dionisios Politis serves as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Informatics, School of Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where he has established a distinguished interdisciplinary career since his appointment in 2009. His academic foundation includes a BS in Physics (1992), MSc in Physical Electronics (1990), Graduate Diploma in Computing Studies from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (1991), and a PhD in Informatics (1998), all from Aristotle University except for the Australian diploma. His professional journey demonstrates steady progression within the university: 1993-2002: Laboratory Teaching Staff at Aristotle University 1993-2002: Research Associate & Programmer at Center of International and European Economic Law 1999-2006: EU Expert on Computer Law for South Eastern Europe & Cyprus 2002: Lecturer at Department of Informatics 2009-Present: Assistant Professor at Aristotle University Dr. Politis's research creates a unique synthesis across computer science, musicology, and law. His primary interests include Computer Music, Mobile Device Interfaces, Bio-Technology applications for Special Education, Interactive Multimedia, and Computer Law. A distinctive hallmark of his work is the connection between ancient musical traditions and modern technology, particularly through groundbreaking projects like ARION for Ancient Greek Music synthesis, Byzantine Server, and various interfaces for Byzantine music notation. Analysis of his scholarly output reveals several converging research trajectories: chromaticism in music theory with mathematical classification methods; digital music libraries and their ethical/legal frameworks; brain-computer interfaces with growing biomedical applications (particularly cochlear implants); and computer law with emphasis on e-justice. His recent publications show an increasing integration of medical technology with music interfaces, demonstrating the evolution of his interdisciplinary approach. Among his significant scholarly contributions is a Best Short Paper Award for his innovative work on variPiano™. He has edited major publications including "Digital Tools for Computer Music Production and Distribution" (2016), "E-Socioeconomic and Legal Implications of Electronic Intrusion" (2009), and "E-Learning Methodologies and Computer Applications in Archaeology" (2008), establishing himself as a thought leader in multiple domains. Dr. Politis has made substantial contributions to educational technology across diverse fields. Through the SEEArchWeb project, he developed virtual learning environments for archaeology incorporating mobile displays and GIS implementations. In medical education, he has pioneered otorhinolaryngology e-learning textbooks and specialized interfaces for healthcare practitioners. His research group, frequently collaborating with M. Tsaligopoulos, G. Kyriafinis, and D. Margounakis, continues to push boundaries at the intersection of music technology, human-computer interaction, and biomedical applications while maintaining strong connections to cultural heritage preservation through projects like Mediterranean Colors, Kalliope Server, and Meteora Server.
Aikaterini Mania is a Professor at the Technical University of Crete (TUC), Greece, affiliated with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (Computer Science Division). She coordinates the research team SURREAL (http://surreal.tuc.gr) and leads the Distributed Multimedia Information Systems and Applications Laboratory. Her expertise spans 3D Graphics, Virtual Reality, and Human-Computer Interaction. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science (University of Bristol, UK, 2001), funded by Hewlett Packard Laboratories M.Sc. in Advanced Computing (Global Computing and Multimedia, University of Bristol, UK, 1996) B.Sc. in Mathematics (University of Crete, Greece, 1994) Research Interests: Perception-based Computer Graphics Human factors in Virtual Environments and HCI 3D Spatial Cognition and User Interfaces Haptics and Data Visualization Usability Engineering and Psychophysics Display Technologies and Gaze-contingent systems Professional Activities: Associate Editor for ACM Transactions on Applied Perception and Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments Previously held roles at NASA Ames Research Center (2003), Sussex University (Assistant/tenured Professor), and HP Laboratories (Researcher/Consultant) Contributed to conferences like ACM Siggraph and IEEE Virtual Reality through tutorials and program roles Current Roles: Teaches courses: Introduction to Computer Programming and Computer Graphics Labs: Distributed Multimedia Information Systems and Applications Laboratory
Konstantinos Stefanidis is Professor of Computer Science at the University of Crete and Director of the Institute of Computer Science at FORTH. He pioneered Design for All principles in HCI and leads research on adaptive interfaces for universal access in ambient intelligence environments. Research integrates: Intelligent interface personalization Accessible smart environments Multimodal interaction systems Editor-in-Chief of Universal Access in the Information Society journal and coordinator of 50+ EU projects. Established key international conferences including Universal Access in HCI. Significant policy contributions include EU eAccessibility frameworks and ENISA governance.
Dr. Dimitrios Grammenos is a Principal Researcher at the Institute of Computer Science (ICS) of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), leading the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Laboratory. He specializes in Universal Design, Universal Access, and Ambient Intelligence. With a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Crete and an M.Sc./Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering from the University of Kent, UK, he also holds a Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking certification. Affiliations: HCI Lab, ICS-FORTH. Education: B.Sc. (University of Crete), M.Sc./Ph.D. (University of Kent). His research focuses on Creative Thinking, Game Accessibility, and Interactive Systems for museums/public spaces. Notable achievements include the roboTwin award (2016), Interactive Wall Platinum Award (2014), and the ICS-FORTH Outstanding Contribution Award (2009). He has led projects like Macedonia from Fragments to Pixels and COMnPLAY SCIENCE, promoting informal science education. Grammenos designs workshops on creativity and delivers global talks on innovation. He authored The Orchestra of Colors and co-created the GDPR-themed interactive comic. His work bridges technology, education, and accessibility, emphasizing playful learning and inclusive design.
Dr. George Papagiannakis is a Professor of Computer Graphics at the University of Crete and serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of Geneva . He is also a Researcher at FORTH and the co-founder & CEO of ORamaVR , a Swiss deep-tech startup focused on medical XR training. His research spans high-fidelity interactive computer graphics systems , extended reality (XR) , and geometric algebra computational models for human-computer interaction. Education : PhD (Hons) in Computer Science from the University of Geneva (Switzerland), M.Sc. (Hons) in Advanced Computing from the University of Bristol (UK), B.Eng. (Hons) in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Manchester (UK). His research interests include embodied presence , psychomotor learning in XR , virtual human simulation , and applications of generative AI and geometric algebra in medical training and virtual heritage. He has led over 25 EU and national R&D projects, supervised/co-supervised hundreds of students (4 post-doc, 20 PhD, 34 MSc, 38 BSc), and contributed to the development of transformative technologies like the MAGES SDK and pyGANDALF systems. Dr. Papagiannakis has received 15+ international awards , including the Marie Curie Fellowship, NVIDIA Academic Grant, and Best Education Paper Award. His work has secured over €8M in research funding , with applications in global healthcare, 5G/6G XR environments, and computational medical XR.
