Paul Laskarides
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"Paul Laskarides"Bio:
Emeritus Professor of Astrophysics, University of Athens, Greece He was born in Athens, Greece, on the 18th of December, 1939. He obtained the B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Athens (1965), the M.Sc. in Radioelectrology (1967) from the same University, the M.Sc. in Astronomy from the University of Victoria, B.C. Canada (1970) and the Ph.D. in Astrophysics on a Canadian “R. M. Petrie Memorial Fellowship” from the same University (1972). He has worked as a Summer Assistant at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (D.A.O.), Victoria, B.C. Canada (summers 1970 & 1971). He has worked as Assistant at the Laboratory of Astronomy of the University of Athens before leaving for Victoria and returned as Chief Assistant at this Laboratory after the Ph.D. (10/1972). He was elected Docent of the School of Physics and Mathematics of this University (1976) and he received a teaching assignment next year (1977). He became Assistant Professor (1982) and Associate Professor of Astrophysics (1986) at the same University. His scientific interests include Spectroscopy and Photometry of Variable Stars, especially of the β Cephei stars, and Theoretical Stellar Structure and Evolution. He has published more than 70 scientific papers in refereed journals and proceedings of the conferences and workshops. He has many articles written as well as a dozen of textbooks (in Greek) on “Stellar Atmospheres”, “Interstellar Matter”, “Stellar Structure and Evolution”, “Astrophysics”, “Practical Astronomy”, “Optics”, “Physical Chemistry”, “Laboratory Exercises in Astronomy”, e.t.c. He has also published a popular book on life in the Universe (“On UFO’s footsteps”). He has served in various elected positions in the University of Athens, namely, as President of the Department of Physics for 5 terms (1989-1991, 1991-1994, 1996-1998, 1998- 2000 and 2004-2006), as a Vice-President of the same Department (2000 – 2002), as Director of the Section of Astrophysics, Astronomy and Mechanics (1986,1987,1988,1989, 1995,1996, 2002,2003), as Director of the Laboratory of Astrophysics (1987-1999), as Director of Graduate Studies of the Department of Physics (1998-2004), as member of the Senate of the University of Athens (1998- 2006) and as member of various other committees. As President of the Department of Physics he succeeded in moving this Department in brand new buildings at the Panepistimiopolis Campus of the University of Athens and in obtaining a donation from a private donor of a 40-cm robotic telescope of the Department’s choice, which is currently the ornament of the new buildings and the basic teaching instrument of graduate and undergraduate students of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Also he founded the new (1993) program of graduate studies of the Department of Physics and later he managed to obtain a European funding for it. He has been a member (1989-1992 and 2002-2005) and Chairman (2005-2007) of the Greek National Committee for Astronomy. He has been a member of the Governing Council of the Foundation of Government Fellowships (I.K.Y) (1989-1992), Vice Chairman of the SELETE Board (1993), a member of the First Faculty of the University of Aegean (1993) and a member of various other boards. He is a member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), a founding member, first Secretary, Treasurer and President (2002-2006) of the Hellenic Astronomical Society (Hel.A.S.), and a member of the Greek Union of Physicists. He is the organizer of the first Pan-Hellenic Astronomical Conference (1991) - where Hel.A.S. has actually been born - and the editor of its proceedings. He has also organized two international IAU Symposia in Sounion (1979) on the Galactic X-Ray sources and in Porto-Heli (1985) on Luminous Stars and Associations in the Galaxy and he was a co-editor of their proceedings.
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