Significant distinction was achieved by PhD Candidates and members of the Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging Group of IESL, Michalis Orfanakis, Physicist and teacher of the General Lyceum of Makry Gialos and Gymnasium of Koutsouras Ierapetra and Mikis Mylonakis, Physicist, at the 10th Panhellenic Science Education STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematic) competition “Science on Stage Greece 2018”.

Their work on: "Optical Tweezers. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 at your school. ", won the 1st prize in the competition and was chosen to represent Greece in the corresponding European Competition Science on Stage Europe 2019 in Cascais, Portugal next November.

It is noteworthy that Mr. Orfanakis with his work "Optical Computed Tomography with LEGO and Arduino", was awarded the 1st prize at the 9th Panhellenic Competition Science on Stage Greece 2016, as well as the 1st Prize at the Science on Stage Europe 2017 in Hungary. The project was the simplified transfer to Secondary Education of an Optical Tomography Experiment of the Biophotonic and Molecular Imaging Group of IESL directed by Dr. Giannis Zacharakis, Principal Researcher.

The Science on Stage Europe network is the largest international science education network with participations from 34 countries mainly from Europe and beyond. Every two years, the national competitions are first held in each country, followed by the European Competition, involving approximately 450 teachers and the best 250 experiments and projects as they have emerged from the national competitions.

The above-mentioned award-winning projects are an excellent example of simplifying modern science and transforming it to secondary education, enabling students to get acquainted with research methodology and get inspired to become the scientists of the future. The general public will have the chance to see these award-winning experiments at this year's Researchers' Night, which will take place at the end of September at FORTH.