Scholarship in memory of George Papageorgiou (Scholar Katerina Giannaraki)

Dr. George Papageorgiou (1933-2021) was founder and Research Director of the Laboratory of Membrane Biophysics and Biotechnology at the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, Athens. A graduate of Anatolia College of Thessaloniki, of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki (BS, Chemistry, 1958) and of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), IL, USA (PhD, Biophysics, 1968), he was named as “the father of biophysics of photosynthesis in Greece” for his contribution to the advancement of understanding of photosynthesis and for being a pioneer in establishing and advancing relevant research in the country. In Demokritos, he also served as Director of the Institute of Biology, and as a member of the Executive Council of NCSR, Demokritos.

A founding member and Executive Board member of the Hellenic Biochemical and Biophysical Society; member of the American Chemical Society, and of the American Biophysical Society; member of European Expert Committee on Biomaterials of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization); representative of Greece to Advanced Studies Institutes program of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization); and member of the Editorial Board of the journal Photosynthetica.

His students remember him not only as “a well-known and highly respected scientist” but also as “an outstanding and passionate teacher and mentor”, who has guided them “to attain the essence of knowledge, a deep understanding of the fundamentals. Without considering anything as obvious, he was explaining with patience both theoretical and experimental aspects, working with them side by side at the bench and with the fluorimeter, teaching them how to write publications, motivating, inspiring, and fascinating them, triggering thus the best in them. His many publications reflect, with their remarkable quality and clarity, not only his scientific but also his teaching capabilities driven by his strong dedication in educating not only his students but also the readers of his publications.”