On May 13, 2022, ACT, the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, and its Psychology programs organized the first Positive Psychology event led by the guest speaker Dr. Anastasios Stalikas, Professor at the Psychology Dept., Panteion University as well as founder and President of Hellenic Society for Positive Psychology.

Through his interactive and compelling presentation, Dr. Stalikas explored the determinants of a happy and fulfilling life. The audience had the opportunity to learn about several misconceptions regarding happiness and about relevant research in the field pointing at ways through which people can positively transform their lives. Dr. Stalikas is an esteemed positive psychology expert, author, and speaker. The event was fun and stimulating and the attendees felt the impact of the presentation on many aspects of their lives.

Dr. Aimiliza Stefanidou, Associate Professor of Psychology, Dr. Stamos Karamouzis, ACT Provost, Dr. Anastasios Stalikas, Professor at the Psychology Dept., Panteion University, founder and President of Hellenic Society for Positive Psychology, Dr. Maria Kyriakidou, Chair, Division of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Before the event, Dr. Stalikas gave an interview with ERT3. You can watch the interview here.    

Dukakis Center Executive Director David Wisner will host two final episodes of Dukakis Center Live in June before summer holidays.

On Friday, June 17, Dr. Wisner's guest will be General Mark Welsh III, Dean of the Bush School for Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. The discussion will focus on "Public Service in the Twenty-First Century." 

Then, on Friday, July 1, in advance of Independence Day, guests Jenifer Neils, outgoing Director of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, and Scott Sprenger, President of the American University of Rome, will be on hand to discuss the challenges American citizens face living and working abroad in the current international climate.

Dr. Neils had spoke previously at ACT under the auspices of the Dukakis Center in March 2007.

Both programs will air at 7 PM on their respective dates and can be viewed live on the YouTube channel of Anixneusis, which is managed by the journalist Pantelis Savvidis.

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!

Τα προπτυχιακά προγράμματα σπουδών του Anatolia προσφέρονται πλέον από το νεοσύστατο Anatolia American University. Για τον λόγο αυτό, το ACT δεν δέχεται πλέον νέα αιτήματα ενδιαφέροντος για προπτυχιακές σπουδές.

Αν ενδιαφέρεστε για προπτυχιακές σπουδές, μπορείτε να βρείτε όλες τις σχετικές πληροφορίες στην επίσημη σελίδα του αντίστοιχου προγράμματος στην ιστοσελίδα του Πανεπιστημίου.

Επισκεφθείτε το Anatolia American University

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 
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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

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