Podcast: Mission Possible | Researchers' Night

Mission Possible

The Night’s Podcast

Kostis Kotsonis talks with fascinating personalities from the field of scientific research who, despite various challenges, have managed to stand out. We will learn about their work as well as how they strive to share their knowledge with the wider public. The podcast is produced as part of the pan-European event “Researchers’ Night.” It takes place on the last Friday of each September and brings the public into direct contact with science and its discoveries.

Episode 1 - Political Philosophy

How has the concept of the citizen and the politician changed over time? Why would ancient thinkers laugh at how we discuss the concept of truth today?

Episode 2 - Archaeology

As a child, he loved ancient civilizations and disliked rote memorization. His university years took him to England, where he explored many fascinating aspects of archaeology.

Episode 3 - Modern Green Energy

From a young age, she declared her ambition to become a scientist—and she succeeded! Graduating in Electrical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, she launched her career during a time when staying in Greece was rare.

Episode 4 - Artificial Intelligence & Multimedia

A small shop in Kilkis and an Amstrad 464 with a green screen sparked his first connection with computer science. Studying at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, he eventually joined CERTH’s research family.

Episode 5 - Biochemistry-Biotechnology in Nutrition

They studied at the University of Thessaly during a time of continuous crises. Despite this, with the support of their colleagues and Professor Dimitris Kouretas, they founded a company.

Episode 6 - Βιοπληροφορική

Fotis Psomopoulos grew up with a childhood full of curiosity about the world, a journey that eventually led him to Bioinformatics—a rapidly evolving field that bridges molecular biology and computer science.

Episode 7 - Linguistics

Ledi Bilali still remembers the smell of the pizzeria across the street when he first arrived in Greece as a child from Albania. As a bilingual child, he learned Greek very quickly, while at the same time unintentionally internalizing a fear of speaking Albanian in public.

Episode 8 - Computer Science

As a child, Thaleia often wondered, “what are computers and numbers really saying?”—a curiosity that eventually guided her studies. After graduating from the National Technical University of Athens, she completed her PhD in the United States.

Episode 9 - Materials Engineering

How much can the discipline gained from studying at a conservatory contribute to the discipline needed in research? Quite a lot, says Vasiliki (Vicky) Tsakaloudi. She studied Chemistry at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and now works as a researcher.

Episode 10 - History of Science

Michalis started out in Applied Mathematics, Anastasia in Archaeology—and now they have come together at the University of Athens to teach the History of Science.