I am a graduate of the School of Rural, Surveying, and Geoinformatics Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), holding a 5-year diploma. I graduated in the top 2% of my class and was recognized for my excellent performance with two awards from NTUA and the Academy of Athens. Following my graduation, I worked for two years as a research associate in the Laboratory of Transportation Engineering at NTUA and as a surveyor engineer at a consulting firm. In terms of research, I have published several scientific articles in journals and conferences and was awarded as a young researcher for a paper presented at the Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility 2022 (CSUM 2022). Through my studies and work experience in transportation, my passion for this field has only grown stronger. I am confident that pursuing a Master of Science in Civil Engineering with a focus on Transportation Engineering will provide me with an unparalleled opportunity to further enhance my skills and knowledge. With the support of the Fulbright program, I hope to gain a broader perspective on transportation engineering and engage in academic and cultural exchange with scholars and peers from diverse backgrounds. I believe that this experience will not only benefit me personally and professionally, but will also contribute to promoting mutual understanding and goodwill between the United States and my home country of Greece. Overall, I am excited about the opportunity to expand my horizons and become a more knowledgeable and skilled engineer through this program.

Kyriakos Paraskevopoulos is an Athens-based visual artist and sculptor, holding an Integrated Master Degree from the Athens School of Fine Arts. As an undergraduate student at the Athens School of Fine Arts, he experimented with a variety of media by taking courses in drawing, painting, and ceramics, specializing in sculpture. Following his aspiration to express personal and contemporary issues while exploring the limits of art-making, he perceives sculpture as an ever-expanding field. As such, he is constantly approaching it using a plethora of methods and materials, with drawing having an integral role in his process. In his studio practice, he is interested in the phenomenology and materiality of object-making. He renders these notions by focusing on the very processes of research in terms of form and context and creates, installations emphasizing aspects of negative space and composition in dialogue with space. As syntheses of interdependent parts, his pieces can be interpreted as drawings in space: single sculptures, systems, and/or fields. Through this approach, he attempts to balance the intimate with the universal side, evoke feelings of calm and tension, and emphasize the notions of causality, ephemerality, and collectivity. As a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and with the aid of the Fulbright Scholarship, his objective is to expand and strengthen the intellectual and artistic scope of his practice in sculpture and contemporary art.

Nikiforos Repousis is a highly motivated civil engineer, who is interested in the whole life cycle of projects, from conception to completion. He holds a Diploma (five-year degree with Integrated M.Eng.) in Civil Engineering and an M.Sc. in Analysis and Design of Structures from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). During his undergraduate studies, he spent a semester studying at the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom through the Erasmus+ Programme. Additionally, he received the Spyridon Antypas Scholarship in support of his postgraduate studies at NTUA. Nikiforos already has 3 years of professional experience. Specifically, he worked at Lamda Development S.A., where he was involved in the supervision of major Greek projects such as the Athens Olympic Museum and The Ellinikon. He also worked in the structural design of bridges at the Greek office of LJA Engineering Inc., a prominent Texan engineering firm. His deep understanding of structural design is evident through his undergraduate and postgraduate theses, in which he developed sophisticated computer tools for the analysis of structures that were integrated into softwares of the Laboratory for Earthquake Engineering, NTUA. However, Nikiforos is still passionate about learning new things. Therefore, he is going to study Construction Engineering and Project Management at the University of Texas at Austin. He believes that this M.Sc. program will equip him with the holistic approach necessary for efficiently delivering engineering projects. As a Fulbright Fellow, he is excited to interact with other students from around the world and build an international network.

My interest in chemical sciences is broad, but I have a particular interest in the interface of organic chemistry and biology. Highlights include protein degradation strategies, multicomponent reactions, bioactive heterocycles, drug discovery, and design. I studied chemistry at the University of Crete, Greece, from which I graduated 2nd in the entire department in 2021. During my B.Sc. thesis under Prof. Konstantinos Neochoritis, I was able to publish my first review article and my first research article. The latter was also presented at the poster session of the 17th Belgian Organic Synthesis Symposium (BOSS XVII) in Namur, Belgium in 2022, where I represented the University of Crete. After completing my B.Sc. thesis, I performed an Erasmus+ Internship at the University of Ghent, Belgium in the laboratories of Prof. Johan Van der Eycken in 2021. As a student of excellence, I obtained the prestigious scholarship of the Onassis Foundation, for studies abroad, to attend the M.Sc. in Chemistry program at KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven), Belgium. During the first year of my M.Sc. studies in 2022, I decided to perform an internship in Germany, at the laboratories of Prof. Carsten Bolm, at RWTH Aachen University. This was supported once again via the Erasmus+ program. To me, one of the most interesting topics in science is how scientific research is translated into real-world medical treatments. Interdisciplinary research, specifically the use of chemical approaches to answer biological questions, serves as an excellent tool toward that end. My M.Sc. thesis at KU Leuven involved the synthesis and biological evaluation of novel PROTACs (PROteolysis Targeting Chimeras) to degrade the prostate cancer-driving androgen receptor. The project took place under the direction of Prof. Steven Verhelst (Laboratory of Chemical Biology), Prof. Arnout Voet (Laboratory of Biomolecular Modelling), Prof. Frank Claessens, and Dr. Christine Helsen (Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology). I am expected to graduate from the M.Sc. in Chemistry (Track: Sustainable Chemistry) program at KU Leuven by July 2023 (currently holding magna cum laude). I want to help with the improvement of the world today by trying to push boundaries in science. Ultimately, in order to succeed in applying my vision, my personal goal is to one day be able to develop my own team in a university or industrial environment as a principal investigator. Overall, my international and interdisciplinary research experience has sparked my interest in performing doctoral studies. Step by step, I have been forming my scientific core and now I feel more ready than ever. To me, studying and living in the U.S.A. is about becoming a global citizen with a broad and open view of the world. Working independently and with others while traveling and experiencing an enormous, beautiful, and multicultural country. The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor stands out and is part of a leading educational system across the world. Some of the main key factors include diversity, quality, and cutting-edge technology. The Fulbright Scholarship will provide me with the opportunity to attend the Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry program (M.A.-Ph.D. track program) at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, a world-class educational program. There I will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with top researchers and clinicians in their field and collaborate with leaders across campus at the top-ranked Michigan Medicine system. This will increase the chances to make breakthroughs and perform research with great impact on drug discovery and design.

With an early passion for addressing global challenges, I pursued a Bachelor's degree in International and European Studies at the University of Macedonia, Greece. Distinguished by achieving the second-highest exam score upon admission and graduating as the top student in my class, I developed a keen interest in foreign policy, strategy, security, and defense. My academic pursuits have been focused on unraveling ongoing and emerging security challenges within the Euro-Atlantic region. Throughout my undergraduate years, I gained practical experience through internships at the Permanent Representation of Greece to NATO, NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Greece, the Center for Research on Democracy and Law, the UNESCO Youth Club of Thessaloniki, and Vouliwatch. Additionally, I served as a Corporal of Military Police in the Hellenic Army/C’ Army Corps. I was also actively engaged in extracurricular volunteer activities, among them serving as the Press Representative for the Municipal Youth Council of Thessaloniki and as the Social Media Manager for TEDxAUTH 2019. I am deeply honored to embark on the next chapter of my academic journey as the recipient of two prestigious scholarships: the SAIS Public Service Fellowship, reserved for highly talented graduate students who aspire to a career in public service, and the Fulbright Scholarship, aimed at enhancing the Hellenic-American bilateral understanding. The Master of Arts in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies will provide me with an unparalleled platform to specialize further in Security, Strategy, and Statecraft, and take full advantage of the resources and network available on campus and in Washington, D.C. During my time at SAIS, I aim to organize engaging and insightful activities that raise awareness of the Hellenic perspective on current affairs and Greek culture. Looking ahead, my professional aspirations lie firmly within the public sector, particularly within international organizations such as NATO bodies, UN or European agencies, and think tanks. Equipped with a wealth of experience, I hope to return to Greece and contribute to initiatives that have a positive impact on society.