The Epoch of Space started on October 4, 1957 with the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik, by the then Soviet Union. Since that time, we have sent spacecraft to explore the Moon, the Sun, Asteroids, Comets, every planet in our solar system and even crossed the border with the Galaxy with Voyager 1 & 2. Further, space-based telescopes such as Hubble and James Webb have revealed unimagined phenomena such as neutron stars and black holes, including the presence of galaxies within 300 million years after the Bib Bang that theory tells us should not exist. This talk will focus on discoveries in our own solar system, describe some of the most important findings about the Universe, and discuss the probability of biological activity in other solar systems of our own galaxy, and the Cosmos at large.
Moderator: Nikolaos Stergioulas
For centuries, humans have dreamed of escaping the confines of gravity through flight. Greek mythology brought us the visions of Daedalus, Pegasus, Hermes and Nike. Artist and engineer, Leonardo da Vinci, translated that vision into drawings and Codex’s. But it was the 1903 flight of the Wright Brothers who finally allowed “heavier than air” flight with an engine powered airplane. Scarcely, 58 years later, both the Soviet Union and the United States launched their first astronauts into low earth orbit (LEO) and 8 years after that, two men walked on the Moon. Ten more astronauts would walk on the Moon by 1972. The focus then changed to LEO orbiting space stations and transportation vehicles. Salyut, Skylab, and the International Space Station remained in orbit for years. The reusable Space Shuttle flew 135 flights over 30 years, retiring in 2011. Thousands of experiments in human, biological and physical sciences advanced technology in support of future human space exploration. In 2018, the US again set its sights on both the Moon and Mars. On April 1, 2026, the Artemis II mission with 4 astronauts in the Orion space capsule orbited the Moon once again. The pathway forward in this century has been set. Dr. Dunbar will share her perspective on human space exploration through her own five space shuttle flights and involvement in NASA strategic planning and put forth the vision of a future in which many nations will participate in human space exploration through the Artemis Accords..
Moderator: Nikolaos Michailidis
Moderator: Iakovos Michailidis
This roundtable forms part of a broader program of the same title, funded by the partnership of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI). The program seeks to highlight the vital role of the humanities in addressing contemporary global challenges in education, including those posed by AI, while underscoring the importance of a holistic, values-based approach to both education and the personal development of young people. Its aim is to contribute to the development of a new theoretical framework for sustainable, high-quality education that meaningfully integrates AI. During the roundtable, Aristotle’s work on education (‘paideia’), well-being (‘eudaimonia’), ethics, politics, and their interrelationships will be brought into dialogue with both theoretical and empirically grounded insights from contemporary educational psychology, particularly in relation to the concept of “sustainable education”. Furthermore, a new proposal for ‘quality education’ leveraging AI will be discussed, aligned with Goal 4 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A central focus of the round table will be the importance of fostering the simultaneous development of intellect, character, and citizenship among today’s youth, with the overarching aim of promoting both individual flourishing and social well-being. The round table will be held in both English and Greek.
Organizers
School of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Interdisciplinary Centre for Aristotle Studies, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Department of Philosophy, Southern Connecticut State University
Moderator: Ioannis Chrysoulakis
The Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) was established in 2016 as an independent funding organization with the mission to support and promote curiosity-driven research in Greece, without thematic or geographical restrictions. Its objective is to fund high scientific quality research projects and fellowships in all Scientific Areas, including Physical Sciences; Engineering Sciences and Technology; Life Sciences; Food Sciences and Technologies; Mathematics and Information Sciences; Social Sciences; Humanities and Arts; Environment and Energy; and Management and Economics of Innovation.
From 2016 to the present, H.F.R.I. has committed more than €348.5 million across all Scientific Areas. A total of 28 calls have been published, with 22,356 applications and research proposals, resulting in the funding of 1,585 research projects and 1,610 fellowships.
Specifically, within the Scientific Area most directly associated with Innovation, 260 proposals and applications have been submitted, of which 34 research projects and fellowships have been funded. It is important to note that “Innovation” is important part of all Scientific Areas supported by H.F.R.I.
An analysis of these data using the open-source software IRAMUTEQ indicates that researchers’ interests are strongly oriented, amongst other, toward innovation and entrepreneurship.
Moderator: Ioannis Rekanos
The two-day conference “A Century of Global Bridges” is an international academic conference organised by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), to be held on 20–21 May 2026. The conference honours and celebrates a century of international presence, academic cooperation, and institutional outreach, while also laying the groundwork for a new era of global academic interconnectedness.
Structured around keynote lectures, thematic sessions, institutional presentations, student experiences, and cultural events, the conference brings together reflection and strategic planning for the future. Academics, administrative leaders, students, and representatives of international organisations will convene to examine the evolution of global academic networks and to explore emerging models of cooperation. The conference is therefore not merely commemorative in character, but also strategic and forward-looking.
See more: Conference Agenda