Georgios Kalkanis

Georgios Kalkanis was born in 1940 in Athens. He studied at the School of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Athens, where he obtained a degree in Chemistry. He continued his studies at the University of Ioannina, specifically in the Department of Chemistry at the School of Natural Sciences, where he earned a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry. He worked as a chemist in the research laboratories of S.R.Co in Athens (1969), was elected as a full professor at the School of Engineering at KATEE Thessaloniki, and worked as a professor at the School of Sub-engineers at the National Technical University of Athens (1973). He was the first Director of the School of Engineering, which he organized, and was elected head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (1975). He took on the organization of KATEE Kavala, specifically organizing the School of Petroleum Chemical Technologists, and remained the Director of the School of Engineering during this period (1977-1980). He was elected head of the General Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Technology (1985). He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) from 1989 to 1993. He was a regular elected member of the disciplinary council for the teaching and specialized educational staff of the country's Technological Educational Institutes (TEIs) from 1993 to 1996. From 1991 to 1993, he served as a special secretary at the Ministry of Education for issues related to tertiary Technological Education. From 2002 to 2005, he was elected President of the TEI of Athens. From 2005 to 2010, he served as President of the Administrative Committee of the TEI of the Ionian Islands. From 2004 to 2009, he was a member of the National Council for Research and Technology in the field of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Technology. From 2008 to 2010, he served as President of the Council of Higher Technological Education (SATE) of the National Education Council (ESYP). His research experience was significant, participating in more than 10 research programs conducted in collaboration with the TEI of Athens and universities in Inorganic Chemistry. His main research work focused on applied inorganic chemistry, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Technology at the TEI of Athens and the University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry. He participated in the organization and operation (as coordinator) of a postgraduate program on quality control, a collaboration between the TEI of Athens and the University of Manchester. He taught the course on Materials Technology in the postgraduate program of the Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Technology with the University of Portsmouth (MSc in Environmental Engineering), of which he was also a coordinator. He took part in organizing a postgraduate program with the University of Ioannina on the Science and Technology of Materials. This postgraduate program began in October 2004, where he taught the course on Materials Technology. He authored a large number of books for higher education (Materials Technology, Materials Technology Laboratories, Organic Chemistry Laboratories, Workplace Safety and Environmental Protection, Technology of Building Materials, Technology of Dental Materials, Chemical Technology, Natural Resource Management, etc.) in collaboration with Associate Professor I. Chatiris. He was actively involved in the trade union of TEI professors, aiming both to promote the demands of the educational staff of tertiary Technological Education and to improve the status of the institutions. He served as the secretary of EKAS (Panhellenic Union of Technical Education Teachers), was elected President of the Association of Educational Staff of the Athens Technological Educational Institute (1988), President of the Association of Educational Staff of the Athens Technological Educational Institute (1997), General Secretary of the Federation of Educational Staff of Technological Educational Institutes (1997), and General Secretary of the Federation of Educational Staff of Technological Educational Institutes (2002).