WinPhoS research group member and visiting lecturer at the Dep. of Informatics at the Univ. of Western Macedonia, Dr. Chris Vagionas, received the prestigious Fulbright Visiting Scholarship 2023-2024 to act as a visiting scholar at the Department of Material Science and Engineering of the University of Maryland during the winter semester between Sep. – Dec. 2023.
Dr. Vagionas’ scholarship was entitled “Vespucci – IC, Non-VolatilE materialS and Photonic memory elements for Ultra-fast optical Computing and Communication applICations”, focusing on designing, integrating, characterizing and demonstrating Electrically Programmable Non-Volatile Silicon Photonic Memory Arrays based on Sb2Se3 Phase Change Materials.
His scholarship intensified a prior collaboration of WinPhoS Research group with the group of Prof. Carlos Rios Ocampo at University of Maryland and Prof. Nathan Youngblood at University of Pittsburg focused on photonic (computational) memories: tunable nanophotonics for data storage and computing. Dr’ Vagionas scholarship forms the ideal complementarity between Materials Sciences and Photonic Integration of the U.S. with the Computing and Communications Sciences of WinPhoS research group, promoting bilateral exchange of knowledge and strengthening the bonds between the three aspiring young academics and investigators.
Fulbright in Greece (https://www.fulbright.gr/en/) provides up to 10 scholarships (only) to Greek professors and researchers of any discipline on an annual basis, to conduct research and lectures at US universities, to promote mutual understanding and long-term research collaborations, with Dr. Vagionas ranking among the top ten to receive the scholarship for 2023-2024.
Many thanks to Prof. Carlos Rios and Prof. Nathan Youngblood for the excellent collaboration and to the UMD’s PhD team members Chuanyu Lian and Sun Hongyi for the great hospitality and fun time in the lab!
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