Outreach
I firmly believe that science concerns everyone - not just for the sake of theoretical knowledge, but also for improving lives and addressing societal challenges. It fosters curiosity and cultivates essential critical thinking skills, which allow us to make better decisions.
Here you will find an overview of my public engagement activities over the last decade.
PeriAstron
In December 2022 I took one of the biggest leaps in my public outreach journey by co-founding PeriAstron, a non-profit organization focused on making astronomy and space science more accessible to the public, while encouraging collaboration between professional and amateur astronomers. I am currently supporting the design of affordable educational programs for children and teenagers in Greece, and also co-leading the development of an online course designed to train science communicators, funded by the Europlanet Consortium.
SpaceGates
Since September 2016 I have been a member of SpaceGates, a public outreach group comprised of physics students at the University of Athens. I have designed and delivered educational workshops and talks at major science events such as Researcher’s Night 2017, Athens Science Festival 2018, World Space Week 2018, and the IAU100 event, plus a workshop in collaboration with the Onassis Library. I have contributed articles and interviews to the group’s online blog, and evaluated entries in the student competition “Cassini Greece 2016/2017”. I served as one of the project managers of the SpaceGates Academy, an initiative aimed at training physics students on science communication.
SciCo
Between November 2015 and June 2019, I was part of SciCo’s team of regular volunteers, called the SciCo Ambassadors, where I contributed to several large-scale public engagement events. I was a core team member for the Athens Science Festival 2017 serving as a Stage Manager and overseeing live performances and competitions, and for Mind the Lab 2017 serving as Leader of Volunteers. I volunteered in Athens Science Festival 2015, Researcher’s Night 2016 and Athens Science Festival 2018 and coordinated volunteers in Athens Science Festival 2016, also facilitating volunteer trainings.
Beyond event work, I contributed to the STEM project team, and served as a STEM Educator in the City of Athens’ Open Schools program, teaching educational robotics to children and adults. Additionally, I was a trainer for the 26th SciFY Academy on “Teaching Astronomy using Digital Tools”. I also participated in the Erasmus+ KA2 project “Maths in Motion” as a trainer, co-facilitating workshops for educators in Athens Science Festival 2018 and Athens Science Festival 2019, and a workshop for students at the 1st Gymnasium of Kaisariani. I assisted the formation of the second generation of SciCo Ambassadors in 2016 (recruitment, two-day induction, trainings).
My experience with SciCo allowed me to grow not only as a communicator but also as a team leader and trainer. I had the chance to meet Dr. Jane Goodall during her visit to the SciCo offices, further inspiring my commitment to science and social impact.
Greek Newspace Society
Between March 2019 and July 2021 I was a member of the Greek Newspace Society, supporting the organization’s educational programs as well as the NASA Space Apps Challenge in the city of Piraeus. Additionally, I contributed to the translation of the Solar System Scope app into Greek, enhancing the accessibility of space education tools.
Scithon – The Science Marathon
Originally co-developed with one more participant as a deliverable for the Erasmus+ KA2 Project "STEAM Transcultural Science Communication Summer School" in 2017, Scithon is an interactive science communication activity designed as a treasure hunt. The participants move through a series of themed stations, each representing a different scientific field, solving science-related puzzles and engaging in hands-on challenges. Scithon was successfully implemented in multiple international venues: the STEAM Conference at the University of Malta (July 2018), the Athens Science Festival in Greece (April 2019), and Science in the City in Malta as part of the European Researcher’s Night (September 2019). In 2018 I also volunteered to support that year's edition of the summer school during two full weeks in Malta.
Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.
– Anne Roe