ACT Associate Professor Christos Aliprantis (Division of Humanities and Social Sciences) has won a visiting research fellowship at Princeton University's Seeger Center for Hellenic Studies. Between June 15 and August 15, 2025, Aliprantis will reside at Princeton and join the community of scholars in Hellenic Studies to carry out research on American foreign policy in Greece in the 1930s and 1940s.

In addition to his research fellowship at Princeton University, Aliprantis has also been nominated for a Fulbright Grant. Thanks to the Fulbright Foundation, Aliprantis will be a visiting scholar at George Washington University in Washington DC between March and May 2025, mentored by Prof. Harris Mylonas (an Anatolia graduate class of 1996) to carry out research on Greek-American police relations between the 1940s and the 1970s.

We congratulate Dr. Alipantis on his accomplishments and eagerly anticipate the insightful contributions that will emerge during his time amongst this esteemed community of scholars.

• Christos Aliprantis is Associate Professor in the Social Sciences at the American College of Thessaloniki. Prior to this, he held postdoctoral positions at the European University Institute in Florence; the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich; the Ruhr University in Bochum; and the University of Athens. He studied history in Athens, Vienna, and Budapest; and completed his PhD in history at the University of Cambridge in 2020

The Dukakis Center has played host to a lively group of interns thus far during the 2023-24 academic year. They have been active in two capacities, doing research for an ongoing project on extant housing built for refugees from Asia Minor in the greater Thessaloniki area, and carrying out various tasks during the Fifth Thessaloniki Civil Society Forum on March 4-8. Certain interns will be tasked with helping to organize a workshop on democracy and elections later this spring. 

The Center has also welcomed three study abroad students from American University, who have worked on special projects during there stay in Thessaloniki, and a group of study abroad volunteers, whose presence was instrumental to the success of the Civil Society Forum.

Agapi Farra is a sophomore studying Politics and International Relations at ACT. She already holds a degree in Social Anthropology and History (University of the Aegean). She is a Fellow at NATO's Innovation Hub and after graduating she is planning to pursue a master's degree in Diplomacy and International Affairs. Agapi will provide Greek-language translations and serve as the production assistant for Dukakis Center Live on Anixneusis Web TV.

Michael Hatsiulis is a freshman at ACT, majoring in Political Science and International Relations. He is deeply interested in global politics, and is hoping to get involved in both on a systemic and journalistic manner after graduation. During the Fall 2023 semester Michael polled candidates who ran in the 2023 local elections, as part of an ongoing project entitled "Barriers to Entry: Challenges faced by young and first-time candidates in local elections in Greece."

During the Fall 2023 semester Jack Roberts was a study abroad student visiting ACT from American University in Washington, DC. He is pursuing a B.A. in International Studies and plans to attend law school upon graduation. Outside of academics, Jack has three years of experience at international nonprofits, most recently in Washington DC. Jack prepared a report for the "Barriers to Entry" project entitled "Qualitative Entry into Civic Education and Political Management Programs," which outlined ways in which select American approaches to civic education and political management might be tailored to the local environment in Thessaloniki.

Jasmine Trunkenpolz is a sophomore at ACT, where she is studying Political Science and International Relations. Born in Austria and raised in South Africa, Jasmine's upbringing has fostered a unique perspective on global affairs and an appreciation for the interconnectedness of nations. Jasmine was one of two interns to draft and conduct an exit poll of American voters who participated in the Global Presidential Primary at ACT on March 5, Super Tuesday.

Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, Valentine Githae is currently enrolled at ACT as a study abroad student from American University, where she is undertaking a dual program that encompasses a bachelor's degree in political science and an MBA in public affairs, specializing in international management. She was invited to serve as the chief of staff during the Fifth Thessaloniki Civil Society Forum, in which capacity she mobilized volunteers and coordinated tasks assigned to other interns. With Jasmine Trunkenpolz she drafted and conducted the exit poll for participants in the Global Presidential Primary at ACT on March 5, and is currently drafting a feature article on her experience as an observer of American election practices.

Satchel Martin is a junior at American University majoring in International Relations with a minor in Data Science, sturying abroad at ACT during the Spring 2024 semester. His research focuses on conflict resolution, and he plans to work in foreign policy after he graduates. Satchel liaised with Democrats Abroad Greece during the Global Presidential Primary, and conducted a series of intensive interviews of American citizenss residing permanently in the greater Thessaloniki areas, in order to understand political behavior among the expat community in Northern Greece.

The Dukakis Center mourns the passing of long time Anatolia College Trustee Serge Hadjimihaloglou, Esq.

Serge was a great friend of the Center, and delivered a special lecture on property rights, one of his specialisms as a lawyer, in November 2004, during our fifth anniversary season.

• Serge Hadjimihaloglou, Esq., ACT Trustee: “Inventors, Authors and Marketers:  The Development and Management of International Property Rights in the Information Age,” November 2004

We express our deepest condolences to his family and to his friends and colleagues on the Anatolia College Board of Trustees.

Τουρισμός & Τεχνητή Νοημοσύνη:
Επανασχεδιάζοντας το μέλλον του κλάδου

Παρασκευή 5 Απριλίου 2024
Grand Hotel Palace Thessaloniki

Ώρα προσέλευσης: 3μμ

Δηλωστε συμμετοχη δωρεαν

Σε μια εποχή ραγδαίων τεχνολογικών εξελίξεων, ο τουρισμός καλείται να προσαρμοστεί και να αξιοποιήσει τις δυνατότητες που προσφέρει η Τεχνητή Νοημοσύνη. Το συνέδριο Tourism of Tomorrow 2024 έρχεται να θέσει στο επίκεντρο τις ευκαιρίες αλλά και τις προκλήσεις που θα αναδιαμορφώσουν το μέλλον του κλάδου.

Καταξιωμένοι επαγγελματίες του τουρισμού και της φιλοξενίας θα μοιραστούν τις γνώσεις και τις εμπειρίες τους.

Πώς αλλάζουν τα δεδομένα και τι προοπτικές ανοίγονται για τον κλάδο;

Εξερευνήστε τις εφαρμογές της Τεχνητής Νοημοσύνης (ΑΙ) στον τουρισμό και την εξυπηρέτηση πελατών, από τα chatbots και τους virtual assistants ως τα έξυπνα ξενοδοχεία και την επαυξημένη πραγματικότητα.

Ομιλητές

Επισκεφθείτε το προφίλ των ομιλητών μας στο LinkedIn, διαβάστε το βιογραφικό τους και συνδεθείτε μαζί τους, πατώντας επάνω στο όνομά τους.

Συντονισμός

Ανέστης Αναστασίου
Coordinator, Hospitality & Tourism, ACT

Θα υπάρξει Q&A session με ερωτήσεις από το κοινό στο οποίο θα συμμετέχουν όλοι οι ομιλητές.

Πρόγραμμα 

15:00 - 15:15 Προσέλευση – Εγγραφές

15:15 - 15:30 Καλωσόρισμα – Χαιρετισμοί

• Καλωσόρισμα, Δρ Νικόλαoς Χουρβουλίαδης, Chair, Business School του ACT
• Χαιρετισμός, Δρ Πάνος Βλάχος, Πρόεδρος Κολλεγίου Ανατόλια

15:30 - 17:00 Ομιλίες

15:30 - 15:45 
Δημήτρης Δημητριάδης, Chief Innovation Officer, The Future Cats
From Digital Journeys to AI Destinations: Crafting Tomorrow's Tourism Experiences

15:45 - 16:00 
Δημήτριος Γεωργίου, Senior Consultant, Deloitte 
The Transformative Power of Gen AI in Hospitality (μέσω Zoom)

16:00 - 16:15
Roman Sarbash, Head of Innovation & Technology, Domes Resorts
Practical Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Hotel Management

16:15 - 16:30
Μάρκος Γιαννησόπουλος, Area Manager, EMEA Lodging Team, Expedia Group
When the traveler wins, we all win: Empower partner success in the universe of travel (μέσω Zoom)

16:30 - 16:45
Θοδωρής Παπανέστορος, Executive Director of Institutional Marketing & PK-12 Enrollment, Anatolia College
From AI to Generative AI in Services Marketing

16:45 - 17:00
Παντελής Ι. Καπλάνογλου, Adjunct Professor, ACT & Chief AI Officer Arx.Net
Understanding AI and its challenges towards Tourism 4.0

17:00 - 17:30 Διάλειμμα

17:30 - 19:00 Ερωτήσεις και Συζήτηση
Συντονίζει ο Ανέστης Αναστασίου, Συντονιστής Προγραμμάτων Τουρισμού και Φιλοξενίας του ACT

19:00 Κλείσιμο Συνεδρίου
Δρ Νικόλαος Χουρβουλιάδης, Chair, Business School του ACT 

Εγγραφές

Δηλωστε συμμετοχη δωρεαν

Η συμμετοχή στο συνέδριο είναι δωρεάν, ωστόσο απαιτείται εγγραφή για την εξασφάλιση της θέσης σας.

As many as four billion people will vote in 2024. ACT (The American College of Thessaloniki) and the Dukakis Center at ACT did their modest part to add to that number this past March 5, 2024, also known as Super Tuesday throughout the United States.

The Dukakis Center continued its Silver Jubilee season of public service initiatives by organizing a voter registration drive for American study abroad students and, in collaboration with Democrats Abroad Greece, hosting the Global Presidential Primary for American voters residing in Thessaloniki and environs.

Aided by a robust cohort of student interns and volunteers, the voter registration team assisted a record number of potential voters to register via the votefromabroad.org online platform.

An equally impressive number of young people cast a ballot in the global primary, most for the first time. A closed primary for registered Democrats, the purpose of the GPP is to designate a limited number of delegates from around the world -- American citizens all -- to attend the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August 2024 to select the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States.

Altogether, as many as forty or 50 American students were involved in some part of the series of events, along with several degree candidates from Greece and Southeast Europe. Special mention is reserved for study abroad interns Valentine Githae and Satchel Martin (both from American University) and ACT student interns Agapi Farra, Jasmine Trunkenpolz, Despina Krlevska, and Filip Perduloski for their contribution to the week's festivities. Meanwhile, study abroad student Nivia Timlick-Khalis won a prize for the design of a customized poster reading "Vote Here."

These activities were integral parts of the Dukakis Center's Fifth Civil Society Forum, held on the ACT campus during the week of March 4-8. Also on the events calendar was a reception in honor of ACT alumni and staff who ran for public office in local elections in October 2023 and a special episode of Dukakis Center Live on the question: "How do we conduct an election when no one trusts the integrity of the process?"

Featured at the reception were, in chronological order of graduating class, Theofanis Kontoulis, Marieta Gaitani, Anastasia Alexopoulou, and Jolda Druga, along with former ACT instructors Paris Tsogarlidis and Spiros Pengas. (Many more ACT alums not present at the reception campaigned in local elections, joining foreign classmates who have experienced considerable success in electoral politics throughout Southeastern Europe.)

Joining Dukakis Center director David Wisner on Dukakis Center Live were Quinn Yeargain, Assistant Professor at the Commonwealth Law School, Widener University, and old friend Charles Stewart of MIT, who was making his fifth appearance at a Dukakis Center event since 2016.

The emphasis on voting and elections continues the Center's work on the 2023 Greek parliamentary elections, which included a landmark poll on the youth vote conducted at the Center's behest by the market research firm Ierax Analytix. Thus, a pair of Dukakis Center volunteers conducted an exit poll during the Global Primary, while other interns added to their findings from a poll of first-time candidates who campaigned in 2023.

The events were meant in large part to highlight the public service vocation of the Dukakis Center, inaugurated as an endowed chair by former Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis in Thessaloniki in September 1999 and transformed into a collegiate research and outreach hub in November 2011. 

The Dukakis Center's mission is to inspire young people from both sides of the Atlantic to take an active interest in public affairs. Professor David Wisner directs the Center, which is based on the campus of ACT (American College of Thessaloniki).

The Dukakis Center has hosted the Civil Society Forum in one form or another annually since 2019, with a hiatus in 2022. Previous iterations of the Forum have focused on the role of think tanks, NGOs, and other civil society actors in Thessaloniki and throughout Greece. The Center has also organized innumerable events on elections in Greece, the EU, and the USA.

Dukakis Center director David Wisner welcomed two guests to a special episode of Dukakis Center Live this past Friday night for an informative discussion of election administration in the United States. Coming at the tail end of the Center’s fifth annual Civil Society Forum, the program was the culmination of a week of endeavor and activity on the theme of voting and elections.

First up constitutional law scholar Quinn Yeargain of Widener University, author of an impressive series of articles on election administration in the fifty states and the District of Columbia, reviewed some of the complexities in the way in which elections are conducted throughout the US. Rather than having one national election, as is the case generally in other countries, Yeargain noted that the United States essentially has fifty separate elections, each one governed by state law in broad accordance with the US Constitution. This can lead to confusion and misnomers about a whole range of issues, as became evident in the 2020 General Election, where bad actors can create chaos as votes are counted and certified. Yeargain pointed to the need for vigilance and greater public understanding of state and federal law, particularly with regard to state and local elections.

Yeargain was followed by Charles Stewart, Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who was making his fifth appearance at a Dukakis Center event since 2016. Stewart reviewed some of the changes that have take place since 2020, many for the better. He observed that elections were generally more secure now, aside from some minor concerns over such practices as mail-in voting. He also opined that publications like the Democracy Index by The Economist were exaggerated in their assessment of the flaws of democratic governance in the United States. 

When asked to conclude with an assessment of the state of higher education in America, Stewart replied, “American universities are intellectually healthy and intellectually engaging... Students are worried about a world in which the diversity they thrive in is seen as a threat by the older generation... When it comes to the intellectual content, being in a university these days is a great place to be.”

Now celebrating twenty five years of public service initiatives, the Dukakis Center at ACT has organized many public events on voting and elections since the inaugural visit to Anatolia College and ACT by Michael and Kitty Dukakis in September 1999. Still to come in 2024 are a briefing on the state of public opinion throughout the EU prior to the 2024 elections to the European Parliament, and a second voter registration drive for American citizens in September 2024.

July 5-6, 2024
ACT West Hall, Room 105

The Geometric Control and Mechanics Workshop will take place at ACT - American College of Thessaloniki. The event is addressed primarily to advanced Master students, Doctoral students and young researchers with a strong interest in the field. The workshop will consist of selected talks and offers participants a platform to share their latest results to an international audience and discuss current topics.

Topics Discussed: Geometric Control, Multi-agent control systems, Geometric Integration, Geometric Mechanics, Structural Dynamics, Robotics applications

You can download the poster of the conference here.

Registration

Register here

Deadline for registration: June 30, 2024

The registration fee is 40€, lunch and the bus from and to ACT - American College of Thessaloniki are included. A few days after registering for the workshop, you will receive an e-mail with further information on how to proceed with the payment, including where to send the information for an invoice in case you need it (remember to check the spam folder).

Deadline for submitting abstracts for talks: April 8, 2024

Deadline for submitting abstracts for posters: June 30, 2024

Send your title and abstract to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. after registering. Only a limited number of talks will be accepted. The scientific committee will select them after the deadline date.

In the event that the conference organizers manage transportation or lodging, the organizing committee will personally handle these aspects and abstain from employing the services of any travel agency.  

Schedule

All presentations will be held in West Hall 105.

Speakers

Click on the speaker's name to be directed to their personal website or LinkedIn profile for more information.

Alexandre Anahory Simoes
IE University, Spain

Comparison of two numerical methods for Riemannian cubic polynomials on Stiefel manifolds
In this talk, we will provide a comparison between the modified de Casteljau algorithm to approximate Riemannian cubic polynomials with a symplectic integrator associated with a Hamiltonian formulation of the same problem. We will start by briefly reviewing the standard definition of a Riemannian cubic polynomial in terms of a second-order variational problem and the necessary conditions to solve it. Then we will discuss the main challenges in approximating these families of curves in nonlinear spaces. In our way, we will present two different methods to deal with this problem: symplectic integrators and the modified de Casteljau algorithm. Finally, we will offer the audience a numerical comparison between both approaches in two illustrating examples: the two-dimensional sphere and the Stiefel manifold St_{3, 2}.

Maria Barbero
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain

Retraction maps and geometric integration I
A generalization of retraction maps called discretization maps will be presented in this talk. They are useful to obtain symplectic numerical integrators by adapting the continuous problem to the discretization rule rather than viceversa, as typically done in numerical integration. In other words, the manifold where the equations of motion live is discretized, instead of discretizing the equations. The geometric construction process guarantees the symplecticity of the method obtained. Moreover, we will show the potential of this approach to obtain numerical integrators for Lagrangian mechanical systems, including constraints, symmetries, etc.

Dimitris Boskos
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

Data-driven distributionally robust coverage control
In this talk, we present a data-driven coverage control algorithm, which optimally deploys a team of robots across a spatial region where a random event of interest may occur. The probability density of this event is unknown and can only be inferred to some extent from data. To hedge against this distributional uncertainty, we present a data-driven ambiguity set construction, which contains plausible models of the unknown density and enjoys rigorous probabilistic guarantees. Using this set, we design a distributionally robust algorithm that optimizes the locations of the robots against the worst-case probability density from it. This leads to a non-smooth, non-convex optimization problem, which we solve by an appropriate variant the Gradient Sampling algorithm. We finally present conditions under which the algorithm is guaranteed to converge and elaborate on why these are met in our problem setting.

Dimos Dimarogonas
KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden

Spatiotemporal logic control for heterogeneous multi-agent systems
Formal methods-based planning and control is an established methodology for autonomous systems that are subject to high level tasks. When it comes to multi-agent systems, recent trends involve objectives which are quantified in space and time in the form of Signal Temporal Logic (STL) formulas and its variations. However, in most cases the agents are considered homogeneous with respect to their dynamics, sensing and communication constraints and actuation limitations. In this talk, we consider the problem of control synthesis for heterogeneous multi-agent systems under STL tasks, including the case of leader-follower networks where an agent subgroup of leaders are responsible for the control objective fulfillment of the whole group. We start by presenting transient controllers for heterogeneous networks and under simple control objectives such as consensus and formation control, and we then use these controllers as bases for more general multi-agent tasks given by STL. We finally consider the potential discrepancies between the task dependency and communication graphs, and propose the means on how to account for such discrepancy in the control design.

Juan Ignacio Giribet
University of San Andrés - CONICET, Argentina

Clifford algebras and its applications to navigation and control
The aim of this talk is to highlight the utility of Clifford algebras in solving various robotics problems, focusing on their application in the development of navigation algorithms for autonomous vehicles and coordinated control of robot formations. In the first part of the presentation, the relationship between Clifford algebras and key mathematical concepts such as quaternions, dual quaternions, and displacements will be explored. Through concrete examples, it will be demonstrated how these algebras allow symbolic manipulations of these mathematical objects and how their application can contribute to problem-solving in robotics control. A fundamental element that will be addressed is how this mathematical formalism facilitates coherent and unified manipulation of common geometric objects, such as linear spaces, spheres, and displacements, within a single framework. This coherence is essential for improving the understanding and control of mobile robots, as well as for achieving effective coordination in robot formations. Additionally, the talk will present concrete examples of applications in mobile robotics currently being developed in our group, illustrating practically how Clifford algebras are becoming an essential tool in the evolution of modern robotics.

Jacob Goodman
Antonio de Nebrija University, Spain

Obstacle Avoidance Problems on Riemannian Manifolds
In this talk, I discuss obstacle avoidance on Riemannian manifolds via the design of artificial potential functions. Two major strategies will be presented: The use of artificial potentials as a device to modify a given variational principle, and their use in modifying the underlying manifold geometry. In both cases, conditions are derived which allow for safety guarantees in the obstacle avoidance task, and classes of functions are provided which satisfy said conditions. The special case in which the underlying manifold is a Lie group with a bi-invariant Riemannian metric is presented, where simplified conditions are obtained. Connections to optimal control problems in robotic systems are discussed, and simulations are provided for region avoiding geodesics on SO(3).

Manuel de León
Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain

Nonholonomic brackets
In this talk we will first introduce nonholonomic mechanical systems, both in their usual symplectic formulation and in the contact formulation, considering in the latter case systems with friction in addition to constraints. In both cases we will construct in a very simple way the corresponding nonholonomic brackets, almost Poisson in the first case and almost Jacobi in the second. The construction of these brackets opens the way for a quantization procedure for these systems.

Juan Carlos Marrero
University of La Laguna, Spain

Retraction maps and geometric integration II
A discretization map is a natural generalization of the classical definition of a retraction map. This notion was introduced very recently by Barbero-Liñán and Martı́n de Diego (2022) and applications in geometric integration of this object will be discussed in a previous talk by Barbero-Liñán. In my talk, I will present an extension of the notion of a discretization map to the more general setting of Lie groupoids and algebroids. Then, I will show that this definition is useful to obtain geometric integrators for the reduction of standard symmetric Hamiltonian systems. In particular, such integrators preserve the (Lie) Poisson structure associated with the reduced Hamiltonian system. The results presented in this talk are part of a work in progress in collaboration with M Barbero-Liñán and D Martı́n de Diego.

David Martin de Diego
Institute of Mathematical Sciences (ICMAT), Spain

Completeness of Riemannian Metrics and Applications to Control of Mechanical Systems
In this talk , we will introduce a mathematical technique based on the modification of a given Riemannian metric, namely the kinetic energy of a Lagrangian system, to a complete Riemannian metric using classical results of Riemannian geometry. This technique is aimed at controlling and stabilizing controlled mechanical systems which by construction efficiently avoid given regions or obstacles.

Max Mendel
Delft University of Technology, Netherlands

Differential Geometry, Analytical Mechanics, and Economics
In this talk I intend to demonstrate that the application of the modern differential-geometric formulation of Lagrangian mechanics to economics is both natural and intuitive. I will show that the tangent bundle provides the consumer demand perspective, while the cotangent bundle provides the firm's pricing perspective. Hamilton's principle determines the utility-maximizing course of action, with the Euler-Lagrange equations prescribing how the price level adjusts to scarcity. Traders are properly described using the extended tangent bundle of the Hamilton-Jacobi method. That description allows us to incorporate the dynamics of the economic surplus (energy) and market friction (damping) in a canonical fashion. This insight leads to a canonical method for incorporating damping in mechanical systems, a new result in Lagrangian mechanics.

Sotirios Natsiavas
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Dynamics of constrained multibody systems based on a natural ODE formulation
A class of multibody dynamic systems, involving bilateral motion constraints, is examined. Such constraints arise frequently in modeling dynamics of a plethora of engineering systems and need special treatment. First, the Analytical Dynamics framework is adopted and the basic theoretical ingredients of a method leading to an appropriate set of equations of motion are presented. More specifically, this new set is derived by application of Newton’s second law and appears as a coupled system of strongly nonlinear second order ordinary differential equations in both the generalized coordinates and the Lagrange multipliers associated to the motion constraints. This is achieved by treating the motion constraints as an integral part of the overall analytical process. Then, this set is put in an appropriate weak form and a suitable numerical discretization scheme is developed, respecting the geometric properties of the configuration space. Furthermore, the position, velocity and momentum type quantities are subsequently treated as independent. This yields a three-field set of equations of motion, which is then used as a basis for performing a suitable temporal discretization, yielding a complete time integration scheme. This scheme is also capable of handling cases involving redundant constraints and singular positions, through a proper extension to an augmented Lagrangian form. Finally, the accuracy and efficiency of the new numerical scheme are demonstrated by examining a selected set of mechanical examples, including benchmark problems. A comparison with classical numerical schemes, based on equations of motion expressed as sets of differential–algebraic equations, is also performed.

Nicola Sansonetto
University of Verona, Italy

Path planning via a Dynamic Moving Primitive approach to the obstacle avoidance problem
In this talk we will consider obstacle avoidance for Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMPs). We propose a framework for obstacle avoidance based on superquadric potential functions to represent volumes, and then extend it to include the velocity of the system in the definition of the potential. Our formulations guarantee smoother behaviour with respect to state-of-the-art point-like methods, moreover, they allow obtaining a smoother behaviour in proximity of the obstacle than when using a static (i.e. velocity independent) potential. We validate our framework for obstacle avoidance in a simulated multi-robot scenario and with different real robots: a pick- and-place task for an industrial manipulator and a surgical robot to show scalability; and navigation with a mobile robot in a dynamic environment. Finally some recent results on the DMPs approach outside the euclidean set up will be outlined.

Rodrigo Sato 
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany

A new Lagrangian approach to regular control-affine mechanical systems
Sufficiently regular optimal control problems can be handled variationally. By taking variations of an augmented cost function one can obtain the first order necessary conditions for optimality. In this talk, we will introduce a new Lagrangian approach to codify this augmented cost function in the particular case of control of mechanical systems, where the plant can be described by a system of second order differential equations. This allows us to obtain the optimality conditions as Euler-Lagrange equations, use Noether's theorem and directly apply the discrete Lagrangian formalism to discretize the problem. This is joint work with S. Leyendecker, S. Maslovskaya, S. Ober-Blöbaum and F. O. Szemenyei.

Miguel Vaquero
IE University, Spain

Primal-Dual Dynamics for Data-Driven Optimization
Primal-dual, or saddle-flow dynamics, has been intensively used for constrained optimization, primarily due to its remarkable properties regarding scalability and robustness. However, its study has largely been confined to the convex setting. In this talk, we will discuss how to regularize primal-dual dynamics to address time-dependent non-convex problems. We will also provide applications to traffic control.

Committees

Organizing Committee

Efstratios Stratoglou, ACT - American College of Thessaloniki, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
Leonardo Colombo, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR)
Evaggelos Chatzistavrou, ACT - American College of Thessaloniki
Vasilis Daskalogiannis, ACT - American College of Thessaloniki, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH)
Emmanouil Maou, ACT - American College of Thessaloniki

Scientific Committee

Antony Bloch is the Alexander Ziwet Collegiate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Michigan. His research interests are in mechanics and nonlinear control, Hamiltonian systems and integrable systems, and related areas of nonlinear dynamics.

Leonardo Colombo is a Tenured Scientist (Científico Titular) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) at the Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR). His research interests are in geometric mechanics, control theory, robot motion planning, modeling and analysis of complex control systems.

David Martin de Diego is a research scientist at the Instituto de Ciencias Matemáticas – ICMAT (Institute of Mathematical Sciences). His work focuses on applications of Geometric mechanics in a wide range of topics such as geometric integrators, nonholonomic mechanics, Hamilton-Jacobi equation, optimal control theory, reduction of lagrangian systems. 

Travel and Accommodation

How to reach us

ACT - The American College of Thessaloniki is located at 17 Sevenidi st., 55535, Pylaia, Greece. The workshop will take place at West Hall room 105. For the participants there will be a bus for the transportation to/from the campus (for the itinerary see below*).

Accommodation

There are many options in the city for accommodation. We propose the hotel below, which has a special offer for the workshop participants until April 10th.

• Metropolitan Hotel Thessaloniki, Vasilissis Olgas Ave 65 - Fleming, 546 42, Thessaloníki, Macedonia, Greece T: +30 2310824221, F: +30 2310849762, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Metropolitan Hotel Offer: 

Classic Single: 76 euro/day (breakfast Included) + 7 euro per day City Tax
Classic Double:  84 euro/day (breakfast Included) + 7 euro per day City Tax

The workshop’s reservation code for the above offer, will be mailed by the organizing committee, immediately following registration.

*The transfer bus will depart from the hotel above at 8:00 am on Friday and at 8:30 on Saturday. In case you would like to choose an alternative accommodation, you should go to the departing spot or to ACT using public transportation and/or Taxi.

For more information

If you have any further questions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On Thursday, February 22nd, 2024, Sparrowhawk pride was enthusiastically displayed by those who attended and participated in ACT Spirit Day. Students and faculty members came together in a celebratory mood and as a community with shared experiences and common values fostered by the academic and student life at the ACT.
A plethora of events occurred on this sun-filled day on our campus grounds.

The ACT Community participated in various outdoor recreational activities like tetherball, soccer, volleyball, karaoke, and tug of war. The life of the party was Sparrowhawk, the ACT mascot.

Moreover, the Student Government Association hosted a Fundraising Barbecue party in support of the Model United Nations Club and showcased their highly anticipated new line of ACT merchandise. Sparrowhawk spirit was present in a multitude of ways, with the various divisions of the American College of Thessaloniki being highlighted with The Banner Exhibition of ACT Identities. This day, full of festivities, was marked by expressions of happiness from those who joined the festivities.

By Student Activities Fellow Darria Oden

Σε μια καταιγίδα πληροφοριών για τη διατροφή και την υγεία, με πληθώρα διαθέσιμων πηγών στο διαδίκτυο, στην τηλεόραση και στα μέσα κοινωνικής δικτύωσης, πως μπορούμε να είμαστε βέβαιοι για το διαιτολόγιο που επιλέγουμε και πόσο ανταποκρίνεται πραγματικά στις δικές μας ανάγκες; Πόσες θερμίδες χρειάζεται να καταναλώνουμε την ημέρα, ενδείκνυται η διαλειμματική νηστεία, και αν ναι, πρέπει να τρώμε το πρωί ή το βράδυ; Το νέο πρόγραμμα του Lifelong Learning Center που πραγματοποιείται δια ζώσης θα προσπαθήσει να δώσει απαντήσεις στα ερωτήματα αυτά και σε πολλά άλλα μέσω εργαστηριακών μετρήσεων και αναλύσεων με γνώμονα τις τελευταίες επιστημονικές μελέτες.

ΕΓΓΡΑΦΕΙΤΕ ΕΔΩ

Οφέλη 

Μέσω των εργαστηριακών ασκήσεων του προγράμματος οι συμμετέχοντες μπορούν να μετρήσουν τις ημερήσιες ανάγκες τους σε ενέργεια καθώς και να προσαρμόσουν τα διατροφικά τους σχέδια για να ανταποκρίνονται στις μοναδικές τους ανάγκες και στόχους. Ενσωματώνοντας επίσης τις πιο πρόσφατες διατροφικές έρευνες και συστάσεις, μπορούν να βελτιστοποιήσουν τη διατροφική τους πρόσληψη με στόχο την καλύτερη υγεία, τη διατήρηση ενός υγιούς βάρους και τη βελτίωση της συνολικής ευεξίας. 

Σε ποιους απευθύνεται

Το πρόγραμμα απευθύνεται:

• Σε όσους ενδιαφέρονται να μάθουν να διαχειρίζονται καλύτερα την προσωπική τους διατροφή κατανοώντας τις επιστημονικές συστάσεις.
• Σε γονείς που θέλουν να μάθουν περισσότερα για την σωστή διαμόρφωση της διατροφής στα παιδιά τους και στους ίδιους.

Περιγραφή του Προγράμματος

Βασικές Ενότητες

• Μέτρηση βασικού μεταβολισμού με θερμιδομετρία, προσδιορισμός της ημερήσιας κατανάλωσης ενέργειας. Ενεργειακές ανάγκες και μεταβολισμός.
• Το κιρκάδιο ρολόι, επιρροή στον μεταβολισμό, DNA test για την ανίχνευση του γονιδίου που προσδιορίζει την πρωινή ή βραδινή προτίμηση.
• Αλλάζουμε τον τρόπο που σερβίρουμε φαγητό. Παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την πρόσληψη τροφής.
• «Ο καλός, ο κακός και ο άσχημος» της διατροφής. Ανάλυση των σύγχρονων διατροφικών τάσεων. Ο ρόλος του εντερικού μικροβιώματος.

Σημείωση 

Το παρόν πρόγραμμα διδάσκεται στα ελληνικά. Οι παρουσιάσεις και το υλικό του μαθήματος ωστόσο, περιλαμβάνουν ορολογία στα αγγλικά, γι' αυτό και απαιτείται καλή γνώση της αγγλικής γλώσσας για την παρακολούθησή του.

Εισηγήτρια

Δρ Μαίρη Καλαμάκη  

Η Δρ Καλαμάκη αποφοίτησε από το Τμήμα Κτηνιατρικής της Σχολής Επιστημών Υγείας του Αριστοτέλειου Πανεπιστημίου Θεσσαλονίκης (ΑΠΘ). Στη συνέχεια πραγματοποίησε μεταπτυχιακές σπουδές στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Καλιφόρνια των ΗΠΑ, όπου και απέκτησε δύο Μεταπτυχιακούς Τίτλους, Μάστερ στην Δημόσια Υγεία και Ασφάλεια Τροφίμων και Μάστερ στην Επιστήμη Τροφίμων. Στη συνέχεια εργάστηκε ως διευθύντρια του Τμήματος Μικροβιολογίας στην εταιρία Stanislaus Food Products στην Καλιφόρνια των ΗΠΑ για 5 έτη. Παράλληλα ξεκίνησε τις διδακτορικές σπουδές της στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Καλιφόρνια από το οποίο έλαβε τον τίτλο PhD στην Αγροτική και Περιβαλλοντική Χημεία με προσδιορισμένη έμφαση στη Βιοτεχνολογία. Ακολούθως εργάστηκε ως επιστημονικός συνεργάτης σε διάφορα προγράμματα στο ΑΠΘ και στο ΕΚΕΤΑ. Η Δρ Καλαμάκη έχει διδάξει ποικίλα μαθήματα σε ακαδημαϊκά ιδρύματα των ΗΠΑ και της ημεδαπής για 15 και πλέον έτη. Δίδαξε στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Καλιφόρνια, στο Γεωπονικό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, στο ΑΠΘ, στο Διεθνές Πανεπιστήμιο Ελλάδος και στο ACT. Στον ιδιωτικό τομέα στην Ελλάδα εργάστηκε ως σύμβουλος επιχειρήσεων τροφίμων στην ασφάλεια τροφίμων. Από το 2012 εργάζεται στο ACT όπου κατέχει την θέση της αναπληρώτριας καθηγήτριας στη Χημεία και Βιοτεχνολογία. Είναι επίσης συντονίστρια του προπτυχιακού προγράμματος στις βιολογικές επιστήμες. Έχει δημοσιεύσει 32 επιστημονικά συγγράμματα σε διεθνή έγκριτα επιστημονικά περιοδικά με συνολικό συντελεστή απήχησης 93.7 και το έργο της έχει λάβει πλέον των χιλίων τριακοσίων ετεροαναφορών στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία. Η έρευνά της αφορά τη βιοτεχνολογία τροφίμων, την γενετική μηχανική, την γονιδιακή έκφραση και την μικροβιακή οικολογία. 

Συμμετοχή

ΕΓΓΡΑΦΕΙΤΕ ΕΔΩ

Κόστος συμμετοχής: 240€

Ειδικές τιμές

 Early bird (για εγγραφές έως 1/4/2024) : -20% 190€
Απόφοιτοι Anatolia High School & ACT: -10%
Εταιρική έκπτωση για 2 ή περισσότερους συμμετέχοντες από την ίδια εταιρεία: -20%

Δικαίωμα αθροιστικής έκπτωσης μέχρι 20%, εφόσον τηρούνται οι παραπάνω προϋποθέσεις.

Μετά την αποστολή της αίτησης συμμετοχής, ένας εκπρόσωπος του Lifelong Learning Center του ACT θα επικοινωνήσει μαζί σας για τη διαδικασία της εγγραφής σας στο πρόγραμμα και την πληρωμή.

Μετά την ολοκλήρωση του προγράμματος, οι συμμετέχοντες θα λάβουν το πιστοποιητικό παρακολούθησης από το Lifelong Learning Center του ACT.

Περισσότερες Πληροφορίες

Μπορείτε να επικοινωνείτε με το ACT Lifelong Learning Center στο τηλέφωνο 2310 398 430 ή μέσω email στο This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. με την ένδειξη "Πάρτε τη διατροφή στα χέρια σας".

Christina received her B.A. degree in Economics and Business Administration from ACT in 1999 and, right after that, her Master's in Human Resources (HR) from the London School of Economics.
Her HR career has been accelerating through executive jobs in fashion (LVMH), banking (GE Money, Unicredit), telecoms (Vodafone), and engineering industries. At the same time, she covered chief HR roles in insurance (Generali) and pharmaceutical multinationals (Zambon). She has worked and lived in Rome, Madrid, Paris, and Milan, where she currently lives with her husband and daughter.

The best memory I have of ACT …

it is more than a memory. It is my strong relationship with two of my best friends that I met there that I will keep forever. I never came back home to work or live after ACT, but Laura Hasapoglou and Christina Ioannou are always ‘with me’ anywhere I go. 

My favorite professor was…

Caterina Ioannou. She taught European Studies, which I loved as a subject, but most of all, I respect her for following her dream and passion. I remember her saying that one day, she would leave her work and study to become a doctor, and I know she did so—hats off. 

My favorite spot on campus was…

the cantina… I have so many laughing memories of long coffee breaks with friends….

ACT helped me to…

understand the value of diversity to open my horizons to different cultures and ways of being and doing. Thanks to the exchange programs, I did my sophomore year at the American College of Madrid in Spain. That experience changed my life forever.

The elements that characterize the identity of ACT graduates are…

the capability to work in teams, adjust, integrate, and dream big. 

For me ACT…

has been an injection of curiosity, a window opener to the world, and a place where I shaped my personality towards an international mindset and career. 

The best part of my job is….

growing others. I believe a lot in the value of a positive legacy, which is unrelated to financial results. The real job of a leader is to grow and enable others to flourish, be courageous, and speak up. 

I consider this an important moment in my professional journey… 

a few years ago, I had a big job offer in Paris… Everybody said, ‘What a pity it is not in Milan,’ ‘Where will you leave your 5-year-old daughter?’ and ‘You cannot keep a family if you are away.’ So for more than two years, I commuted three days a week, my husband supported me, and my daughter is now proud of me for that choice. Would I do it again? Yes, but not at my age; it was exhausting!

In the future, I want to…

be able to contribute to a sustainable and people-oriented future for the companies I work for and have a positive influence in terms of personal and professional development to the people around me. I also want to start slowing down and spend more time in my house in the Cyclades… I am a big fan of making career space for the younger generations, and I will soon start to put it into practice!