ACT and Northeastern University have strengthened their ties and expanded the partnership by hosting the Global Quest Program for second-semester students at ACT.  More than 100 students participated during the Spring I term, and 10 dedicated individuals were selected to continue their studies at ACT for an additional term as part of the Global Quest Research Program; an educational and professional development extension of their experience abroad.

The Research Program provides participants with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a field of interest, early in their academic career, by working in a research lab alongside dedicated ACT research scientists. The participants, according to their interests and academic goals, chose between 16 different research topics in the areas of biology, psychology, chemistry, environmental sciences, and physics. The intensive program was conducted in a time frame of approximately 4 weeks, nearing 100 hours of research, including more than 60 hours of guided research in the lab and 30 hours of independent study and sample gathering. Two participants will be extending their research until early June. 

Dr. Mary Kalamaki, who holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry with Designated Emphasis in Biotechnology, guided a Microbiology/Molecular Biology Research Project, exploring the “In vitro antibacterial activity of propolis alcoholic extract against staphylococci isolated from skin”.  Student researchers, Catarina Bettencourt, Kate Simpson, Caroline MacGuire, Ariana Nicoli, and Ethan Lee collaborated to collect and isolate Staphylococcus spp. from the skin, which they then biochemically identified as S. aureus, S. epidermidis, S. saprophyticus, S. intermedius and S. chromogenes.

“Originally, my research group was investigating how the virulence gene expression of staphylococci changes after exposure to propolis extract, a natural antimicrobial. But our focus changed when we found how effective propolis extract was at reducing the growth of multiple species of staphylococci. Because of this, we are now doing confirmatory research that shows the effectiveness of commercial-grade propolis extract's antimicrobial activities against pathogens that were isolated from the skin.” 

Catarina Bettencourt, Research Participant, 2022

They then tested the hypothesis that propolis would reduce the growth of the bacteria due to its antibacterial properties by using various concentrations of propolis. They indeed found that “Depending on the concentration, propolis exerted various degrees of antibacterial activity. The ethanolic extract of propolis tested reduced growth of skin staphylococci at a concentration of 1.5 mg/mL with the effect being species and strain-dependent.”

Under the guidance of Dr. Andreas Anestis, who holds PhDs in Film Directing Aesthetics as well as in Physiology & Biochemistry, guided two groups of student researchers on the topics of Ecology/Environmental Sciences and Psychocinematics. The first was researched by students Christina Throckmorton and Kayla Bolling who measured the concentration of five heavy metals in the seawater from different sampling sites along Thermaikos Gulf. They observed that the sampling sites showed significant differences in the concentration of heavy metals in the water. Among them, Thessaloniki’s port showed the highest levels of pollution for all the metals studied.  The data is useful as a comparison over time to other studies that have measured the concentration of these heavy metals to observe the changes in concentration over time due to human activities.

Summer Combs was the sole researcher involved in the Psychocinematics project in which she investigated the psychological and physiological responses of human subjects to cinematic audiovisual stimuli.  Ms. Combs is one of the first researchers to combine psychological and physiological studies in a single research project using audiovisual stimuli. After the research, it was concluded that image color, the direction of on-screen movement, and sound effects had a significant effect on the psychological responses of the audience. The color seemed to also affect the kind of pattern of the EEG (ElectroEncephalogram) recorded. It also provided a foundation for further investigation for identifying how the physiological responses are related to the behavioral and psychological aspects of film watching.  This type of research can be used in the future to assist in developing a therapy for individuals who are recovering from trauma or for those with special needs.

The Physics project, guided by Dr. Konstantinos Kanakoglou who holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Physics, researched by student Eric Concannon, took an in-depth look at the problem of classical scattering of charged particles by a central, repulsive. The Coulomb potential was studied, with the aim of understanding the theoretical background of  Rutherford’s experiment (1911) which has led to the discovery of the nucleus and the formulation of our modern conception of the atomic structure.

Summer Combs and Dr. Andreas Anestis work on measuring participant responses to audiovisual stimuli.

The participants, majoring in STEM, gained experience from working on a real research hypothesis along with their dedicated professors who gave them insight as to how a lab works as well as a foundation in research that will help them distinguish themselves among their peers when they further pursue research projects.

The students that participated in this research extension program are satisfied with the program and the opportunity to engage in hands-on research in an actual laboratory environment. As their findings have academic merit they plan to either continue their research in Boston, publish a paper or present a poster at a conference upon concluding their research.

“I have really enjoyed participating in the research program. As a biology major, I plan to do [internships] in a lab. Knowledge about the techniques involved in biological research is invaluable in the competitive [internship] application process. This program has given me a lot of great lab experience and definitely made me more interested in pursuing research in the future.”  

Kate Simpson, Research Participant, 2022

“This research program has been a wonderful experience for me. Having the opportunity to work with a great professor and get one-on-one, hands-on experience in a psychological and physiological study has impacted my knowledge in the field and my career aspirations.  I now have a greater appreciation for the work and dedication that goes into research. I look forward to working with this project more at ACT and applying it to my studies at Northeastern University. This experience has inspired me to get involved in more projects that conduct STEM research when I get back to Boston.”

Summer Combs, Research Participant, 2022

Though much of their time was dedicated to the research and lab work, the flexibility of the research program allowed the students to also enjoy the city of Thessaloniki and explore some major European cities during the weekends. These experiences will be joyful memories that will accompany their college experience forever.

On May 19^th, the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) and the Psychology Department organized a guest lecture on the topic of “new trends on negotiations and security threats”.

The lecture was delivered within the context of PSY 240: Forensic Psychology by Guest Speaker, Mr. Stergio Bakaloudi, Director of the Counter-Narcotics sub-division of the Hellenic Police/ Hostage & Crisis Negotiator, part-time Lecturer at the Hellenic and European Police Academy. The speaker was introduced to students and faculty by Dr. Apostolos Kaliampos.

Mr. Bakaloudis emphasized the wide-ranging variety of terrorism definitions as well as the different strategies of counterterrorism. Dr. Aimiliza Stefanidou, Coordinator of ACT Psychology programs, and Ms. Anastasia Gemenetzi-Makri, ACT Adjunct instructor also attended the guest lecture with their classes. Dr. Maria Kyriakidou, Professor and Chair of the HSS Division facilitated the interesting Q&A session that followed.

Dr. Apostolos Kaliampos and Dr. Maria Kyriakidou with the guest lecturer Stergios Bakaloudis.

Το αγγλόφωνο, τετραετές Bachelor στη Βιολογία του ACT αποτελεί το επιστέγασμα της 15ετούς εμπειρίας του στη διδασκαλία STEM προγραμμάτων σε συνεργασία με κορυφαία αμερικανικά εκπαιδευτικά ιδρύματα, όπως το Northeastern University και το Washington University. Το πρόγραμμα αυτό θέτει σωστά τις βάσεις για τις επιστήμες της βιολογίας, από το μοριακό ως το οικοσυστημικό επίπεδο.

Μάθε τη θεωρία στην πράξη κάνοντας χρήση των υπερσύγχρονων εργαστηρίων φυσικών επιστημών του ACT, κάνε τη δική σου έρευνα με την καθοδήγηση έμπειρων καθηγητών επιστημόνων και προετοιμάσου σωστά για το μέλλον!

Συνδύασε το πτυχίο στη Βιολογία με μία επιπλέον ειδικότητα (minor) σε ένα άλλο αντικείμενο και ξεχώρισε στην αγορά εργασίας. Μάθε περισσότερα για όλα τα διαθέσιμα προγράμματα και minors στο act.edu/undergraduate (πληροφορίες στα αγγλικά).

Since the beginning of the academic year, the ACT Student Government Association (SGA) has thought of ways to make the student community aware of current social issues and act in favor of those in need. The contribution to soup kitchens in collaboration with charity organizations in Thessaloniki and the realization of Theme Days were some of the initiatives that the Association undertook successfully with the support of a vibrant and active ACT student body.

Now the SGA takes action to fight "Period Poverty" and proudly announces that ACT has become one of the first academic institutions that offer free menstrual products for people having a period. As a next step, the SGA launched the campaign "Break the Stigma" to inform our community about Period Poverty's adverse social and psychological effects and offer a supportive environment for those who need it.

According to The World Bank, nearly 800 million people are menstruating every day, yet many people lack the necessary sanitation products needed to manage their periods. This lack of supplies, known as "Period Poverty," affects millions across the globe. People experiencing Period Poverty may have mental health challenges and physical health risks. They may also miss school or work and have low self-esteem. In addition, the stigma surrounding periods prevents people from openly discussing the issue, and the stigma is even more significant for transgender individuals who menstruate. One of the ways to end period poverty is to get period management supplies in the hands of those that need them most.

The idea to find and provide free sanitation products to ACT students came from SGA President Manos Konstantaras, and it was received with great enthusiasm by the other members of the Association. Manos contacted local suppliers and stores in search of sponsorships or preferred pricing. "Finally, we managed to get all the products for free from a supermarket chain that graciously donated all supplies but prefers to remain anonymous. The donation will cover the needs for the forthcoming period. We are pleased and proud that we managed to provide these products to our fellow students," Manos remarks. "Period Poverty can affect people in different ways regardless of their economic status. We strongly believe that we must set an example for other academic institutions and Break the Sigma from which many people suffer in various ways".

On May 10, 2022, the Basketball for Life Skills (BASKI) multiplier event took place from 10.00 to 14.00 at the Anatolia premises (Eleftheriades Library and Anatolia gymnasium).

BASKI is an EU-funded Erasmus+ sports project for which Educational Association Anatolia is a partner in a consortium of seven organizations from six countries. The leader of the consortium is the Cyprus Basketball Federation and other partners include the Center for Social Innovation (CSI) - Cyprus, the Bulgarian Basketball Federation, the North Macedonian Basketball Federation, the Romanian Basketball Federation, and ASD Margherita Sports e Vita (MSV) - Italy. The project promotes education in and through sports with a special focus on skills development.

More than 30 basketball coaches, sports educators, physical education students, and sports decision-makers, including professors and students from the Sports Education Department of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki as well as two basketball athletes in dual-career were introduced to the outputs of the project during the first part of the event in the Eleftheriades Library. The dual-career athletes are Nikos Stavropoulos - now an Assistant professor of the Sports Education Dept. of the Aristotle University and a member of the Greek Basketball Federation Development Committee and Konstantinos Verginis – now a member of the Board of SAAK basketball club. Dr. Maria Kyriakidou, Professor and Chair of the ACT Humanities and Social Sciences Division along with Mr. Stepan Partemian, ACT activities coordinator, presented the aims of the project, the website, and the training modules produced by the BASKI consortium. An interesting Q&A session followed.

In the second part of the event, basketball coaches and physical education teachers piloted the BASKI training program by actually testing the BASKI training drills with more than 70 primary education students from four local schools and organizations in Thessaloniki, including a group of children who came under the auspices of the ‘Faros tou Kosmou’ organization, an NGO working with socially marginalized children of the Roma community of Dendropotamos in western Thessaloniki.

Everyone (both coaches and students) received certificates of participation and a t-shirt with the project logo to remember this unique and successful event. The next step of the BASKI project is the final conference that will take place on June 3-4 in Cyprus.

 You can find more information about the BASKI program here.

ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗ 
8 Ιουνίου 2022 ώρα 18:00
Mediterranean Palace Hotel

ΛΑΡΙΣΑ
9 Ιουνίου 2022 ώρα 18:00
Divani Hotel

Δηλωστε συμμετοχη

Πώς να κάνω μια έξυπνη επιλογή μεταπτυχιακού;

Η Orientum βοηθάει κάθε χρόνο πάνω από 2000 μαθητές και φοιτητές να επιλέξουν τις σπουδές και το επάγγελμά τους.

Ο Θοδωρής Θεοτόκης, Σύμβουλος Σπουδών και Επαγγελματικής Σταδιοδρομίας της Orientum, θα βρίσκεται στη Θεσσαλονίκη και στη Λάρισα για να μοιραστεί μαζί σας την εμπειρία του και να σας απαντήσει υπεύθυνα σε όλα τα ερωτήματα που μπορεί να έχετε σχετικά με τη σταδιοδρομία και το μέλλον σας.

• Γιατί είναι σημαντικός ένας μεταπτυχιακός τίτλος σπουδών;
• Τι χρειάζεται να γνωρίζω προτού κάνω την επιλογή μου;
• Πώς επιλέγω τελικά μεταπτυχιακό πρόγραμμα;
• Ποια είναι τα πτυχία που μπορώ να αποκτήσω ανά επιστημονικό πεδίο και ποιες οι εναλλακτικές καριέρας;

Οι υπεύθυνοι καθηγητές του ACT - The American College of Thessaloniki θα είναι επίσης εκεί για να σας ενημερώσουν για τα διαθέσιμα προγράμματα του ACT:

• MBA - Master in Business Administration
• MS in Hospitality & Tourism Management
• MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Η συμμετοχή στην εκδήλωση είναι δωρεάν.

Δηλωστε συμμετοχη

Alessia Cerma, a Computer Science major at ACT, is the first student to study abroad for a full academic year at Chonnam National University (CNU) in South Korea since the partnership with ACT started in 2018. She chose to be an exchange student at CNU "because I was interested in the Asian culture and Korea was a great opportunity in academic and personal terms.” CNU is a research-oriented university that hosts 500 international exchange students each year and sends some 600 CNU students to various universities around the world.

Even though she believed studying at an Asian university would be challenging, on the contrary, she found it to be normal for her. She found that the international community at CNU is big, with 2,000 international students from 75 different countries out of the 35,000 students attending CNU. She remarks that “everyone helps each other out”. As she is the first ACT student studying in Korea for a full year, she feels proud and excited to share her experience with us and her friends back home.

Korea has a rich culture and she assures us that “you will never get bored of it. The architecture, the cuisine, and even the way you greet are going to be different. However, that’s what makes it exciting, and experiencing all these changes with your new friends makes it even better”.

I was interested in the Asian culture and Korea was a great opportunity in academic and personal terms.

 She understands that for some people it could be hard to choose to go to a country so far away. This may even seem more difficult when you don’t speak the language and you don’t know the culture, being totally different than anything you’ve previously experienced. Alessia is sure that “if you want to open a door full of opportunities including making friends from all over the world, traveling, being part of the community, exploring new places, trying new things and different kinds of food, then I would say that Korea is the right door to knock on.”

Alessia is very happy that she had the opportunity to knock on this door and study for a whole in South Korea. “Honestly, by far it has exceeded my expectations'' she says, concluding our communication that it has been one of the greatest experiences of her life “and I will cherish the memories I made here forever.”

By Thanassis Makris 

World Health Day is a global health awareness day that brings attention to a specific health topic that concerns people all over the world. In light of the World Health Day, on April 7^th, Dr. Aimiliza Stefanidou, Coordinator of Psychology, together with ACT undergraduate psychology students attended the 1^st Health forum at Thessaloniki City Hall. Students had the opportunity to hear from sector-leading experts and practitioners that mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders but an integral part of our health and that urgent actions are needed to create societies focused on well-being. ACT emphasizes through various initiatives and collaborative practices its dedication to supporting students’ well-being.

Μαθαίνεται άραγε η ευτυχία;

Παρασκευή 13 Μαΐου 2022, ώρα 17:00
Mediterranean Palace Hotel

Δηλωστε συμμετοχη

Τι είναι η θετική ψυχολογία;
Ποια είναι τα συστατικά της ευτυχίας;
Mε ποιον τρόπο κανείς μπορεί να γίνει περισσότερο ευτυχισμένος;
Τελικά μήπως γινόμαστε σκλάβοι της ευτυχίας;

Αυτά είναι κάποια από τα ερωτήματα στα οποία έρχεται να δώσει απαντήσεις το Τμήμα Ψυχολογίας του ACT μέσα από μία διαδραστική εκδήλωση. Ενημερωθείτε για τα τελευταία θεωρητικά και ερευνητικά δεδομένα που σχετίζονται με τον τρόπο που ορίζουμε την ευτυχία και τις μεθόδους για να αναπτύξετε τη θετικότητά σας και συζητήστε με τον βασικό ομιλητή μας για τους μύθους και τις αλήθειες που αφορούν στη θετική ψυχολογία.

Στο πλαίσιο της εκδήλωσης, οι φοιτητές και οι φοιτήτριες των προγραμμάτων Ψυχολογίας του ACT θα παρουσιάσουν τα posters των ερευνητικών τους εργασιών και θα έχουν την ευκαιρία να τα συζητήσουν με το κοινό. 

Πληροφορίες Εκδήλωσης

Βασικός Ομιλητής

Αναστάσιος Σταλίκας, Ph.D
Καθηγητής
Πρόεδρος, Τμήμα Ψυχολογίας, Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο
Πρόεδρος, Ελληνική Εταιρεία Θετικής Ψυχολογίας

Ο Δρ. Αναστάσιος Σταλίκας είναι καθηγητής και πρόεδρος του Τμήματος Ψυχολογίας στο Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο. Είναι ο ιδρυτής και Πρόεδρος της Ελληνικής Εταιρείας Θετικής Ψυχολογίας (ΕΕΘΕΨΥ). Γεννήθηκε στην Θεσσαλονίκη. Σπούδασε ψυχολογία στο Concordia University στο Μόντρεαλ του Καναδά κι ολοκλήρωσε τις μεταπτυχιακές του σπουδές στο University of Ottawa του Καναδά. Διαθέτει μακρά διδακτική εμπειρία έχοντας διατελέσει Καθηγητής Ψυχολογίας στο Πανεπιστήμιο McGill στο Μόντρεαλ, στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Ottawa, στο Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών και στο Πανεπιστήμιο της Κρήτης. Στα ερευνητικά του ενδιαφέροντα συμπεριλαμβάνονται θέματα κλινικής, συμβουλευτικής, οργανωτικής και οικονομικής Ψυχολογίας ενώ ειδικεύεται σε ζητήματα μεθοδολογίας έρευνας και στατιστικής. Έχει δημοσιεύσει μεγάλο αριθμό πρωτότυπων επιστημονικών εργασιών σε διεθνή και πανελλήνια συνέδρια και περιοδικά. Είναι συγγραφέας επιστημονικών βιβλίων με επίκεντρο την Κλινική και Συμβουλευτική Ψυχολογία. Διδάσκει επίσης στο Δίπλωμα Θετικής Ψυχολογίας της ΕΕΘΕΨΥ. Η ΕΕΘΕΨΥ αποτελεί τον μοναδικό φορέα στην Ελλάδα που ασχολείται με την επιστημονική συνεισφορά της Θετικής Ψυχολογίας στη Ελλάδα συμμετέχοντας ενεργά στην διεθνή ερευνητική κοινότητα και συμβάλλοντας στην παραγωγή και ανάπτυξη της επιστημονικής γνώσης.

Πρόγραμμα

17:00 - 17:45   Προσέλευση - Εγγραφές

17:45 - 18:00   Χαιρετισμοί

18:00 - 19:30   Ομιλία Αναστάσιου Σταλίκα

19:30 - 20:00   Q&A - Ερωτήσεις από το κοινό

Συντονίζει
Δρ Αιμιλίζα Στεφανίδου
Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια και Συντονίστρια των προγραμμάτων Ψυχολογίας του ACT - Αmerican College of Thessaloniki

20:00 – 21:00   Κοκτέιλ

• Στον χώρο της εκδήλωσης θα υπάρχουν αναρτημένες ανακοινώσεις ερευνητικών εργασιών των φοιτητών Ψυχολογίας του ACT.

Συμμετοχή

Δωρεάν συμμετοχή. 

Σας ευχαριστούμε θερμά για το ενδιαφέρον σας στην εκδήλωσή μας.

Οι εγγραφές έχουν κλείσει καθώς έχει ήδη συμπληρωθεί ο αριθμός συμμετοχών που μπορεί να φιλοξενήσει η αίθουσα.

Δηλωστε συμμετοχη

Η χρήση της μάσκας είναι υποχρεωτική στον χώρο της εκδήλωσης.

ACT students transform leisurely trips into useful activities for the future of our planet! On March 19, 2022, in close collaboration with the Management Body of Kerkini and Oikoperiigitis Hotel, 21 ACT students ventured out and planted over 100 willow trees in the riparian area of Strimonas River. The area is degraded because of human activity and other natural reasons related to climate change. The willow trees will help wading birds by providing a place to build their nests. Later in the day, ACT students moved their efforts to a reed bed which is heavily affected by pollution, and collected 10 big bags of trash, primarily plastic bottles, microplastics, and styrofoam used as equipment by fishermen. After the volunteering activities, students relaxed and enjoyed a boat trip and bird watching on beautiful Kerkini Lake, taking in the fresh air and the snow-capped mountain views.

The objectives of this school-sponsored activity were to raise awareness among the students about conservation and to voluntarily provide help to the local organizations that protect the area. At the same time, students participated in group discussions about the significance of wetlands, tree-planting, and local biodiversity. The students left with a feeling that they could both enjoy the day and make a difference.

The President of the Management Body of Kerkini Lake, along with Oikoperiigitis and other local professionals were very thankful for the participation of ACT students in their preservation efforts. The International Programs and Student Services Office is proud to support the community while fulfilling the mission and vision of ACT to “be known as the institution that contributes to society”, and aspires to establish long-term cooperation with all parties involved in the conservation initiatives at Lake Kerkini.

You can watch the video from the Management Body of Kerkini Lake