​

 

I was born, raised, educated in vibrant Athens, in beautiful Greece and I have been traveling around the world following my curiosity.

​

​

currently I am visiting the NYU Philosophy Department and I am  doing a MA in Philosophy at the University of Athens, Athens, Greece , with specialization History of Philosophy and Ideas​

​

PhD, Theoretical/Computational Neuroscience, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain 

Marie Skłodowska Curie Early-Stage Research Fellow

Doctoral thesis: Fluctuations in perceptual decisions

                                (cortical micro-circuit dynamics mediating alternations in conscious visual perception)

​

MSc, Condensed Matter Physics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece 

Master thesis: Optical properties of metal-dielectric microstructures

​

BSc, Physics, University of Athens, Athens, Greece 

Diploma thesis: Development of thin films under ultra-high vacuum conditions​

also: Exchange Student, Socrates/Erasmus European Program, Department of Physics, University of Seville, Spain 

​

languages

Greek,  English,  Spanish,  French,  Italian,  Chinese (with diplomas)

(+ Catalan and Portuguese (understanding level - living in Barcelona), a bit of German (one year course), and a less bit

of Arabic, Bulgarian, and Japanese (self-learning). basically, I am interested in any language, including that of animals.

languages are fun and interconnected, it is intriguing to try to decode them, find the common ground and differences,

understand why we use them the way we do, and what we can learn from that?)

​

​

Music

In middle school, I learned how to play the guitar. I took one and a half years of free classes and gave a performance which awarded me 14k drachmas, with which I got new boots. When I was in primary school I made a guitar from wooden sticks and rubber bands and used it to create songs with lyrics -- of course, it was out of tune. I've played a bit keyboard and harmonica, but I've most enjoyed the percussion. The musical notation is another language I find fascinating, as well as our body's natural beat syncing, and the question: why some melodies are pleasant and others repellent? 

​

Sports

I was three years in the basketball team of my city, during my middle school years and we won the 3rd medal in an inter-city championship in Athens. I wasn't in the main team, because I was the slowest runner, but I did get to play at some point. One summer I learned how to windsurf but when I fell in the deep sea I stopped liking it much. I did a couple of times ski but didn't become a fan. I did one class of tennis but didn't become a fan there either. I don't really like hiking and climbing. I wish I liked running. I enjoy swimming when the water is clear and there is sand below. I've played a lot rackets at the beach during summertime.

​

Dance 

Six years during primary and middle school I was going to Greek traditional dance classes. At the end of every year, we were giving a performance at the school, all these photos look the same. In Shanghai, I did a course on modern dance which I very much enjoyed. I dance a lot given the opportunity and mood. Dance is a way of discharge and expression for me.

​

Art

Art like dance is a way of expression for me. I have notebooks with poems and songs from a very young age. I used to do micro sculpturing at candles with the tip of the stad compass when I was studying for exams, or with metal strings, anything with what I could create something. My mother was a tailor and my father would build and fix anything. I grew up in a very creative environment.

​

In primary and middle school I was in the boy scouts, for six years. My cousin and I were the first girls there. I was going to the church's Sunday school for a couple of years. These didn't work out well because I am anti-authoritarian and not religious. I liked the scouts for all the activities in nature, I wanted to be an explorer. I liked Indiana Jones and Donald's Duck nephews the little explorers. I also liked MacGyver and that's a secret skill of mine. At an early age, I'd make instruments for observation from kitchen supplies and I like fixing things, finding creative solutions. I also liked Candy Candy and  Kabamaru. I was representative of my class in the middle school for a couple of years and two years among the 15 representatives of the school. I wasn't popular, just the one who would talk with everybody, from the popular ones to the girl who was sitting alone in the classroom during the breaks. I have a driver's license, as well as the national license to teach spanish --and I've worked as a spanish teacher in Greece. I've traveled around the world. Once I did full earth round (Shanghai -> New York -> Athens -> Shanghai) in almost one week. I've done several jobs, the first being at 16 and half years old at a supermarket. I've been more summers a waitress at beach coffee shops than years as a postdoc --which are many. I never liked the interview question: where do you see yourself in 5-10 years, instead, I've been driven by the  "caminante no hay camino, se hace camino al andar". I'm honest and direct. Not many people like that. My father used to tell me that he was concerned for me because I go with the fist to hit the knife, he was right, it bleeds and it hurts.

 

Since my Erasmus time in Seville, I have been politically aware and active, which became especially strong since the European economic crisis. I've felt many times the despair of living in such an unfair world. I'm emotionally tired of Patriarchy.

I am deeply interested in academic politics: mentally and practically healthy working conditions, equity, diversity, free and open access of knowledge, and bridging the academia-society gap.

​

Long story short, I've done these and more! things and I enjoy trying new ones and reaching my limits.

I usually fall for someone who inspires me and makes me expand my limits. I've been in love a few times, most unrequited,

and have had more different intimate encounters than society accepts for my gender -- "once curious, curious in all domains" someone wrote on a wall.

I never felt the need to be married and have a child. With this kind of life and how academia works both are hard to get.
I was sexually harassed when I was a child --and not only-- by a family friend and that really gave me trust issues --apart from the long-lasting trauma. I am a non diagnosed dyslexic, eg I couldn't say the "ρ" until the age of 12, and I have my fair share of mental issues, which I haven't figured out well yet, it seems to be either ocd, adhd, anxiety disorder, depression, or all of them. Lately, I'm becoming more curious about having a child, entertaining the single mom by choice idea.
Once a fellow scientist told me that I am ambitious, not in career, in life. I think it's true.

​

It's a need for me to understand what's going on with us and the world we are living in.

I'm not very optimistic that I'll figure it out, but it worths living trying it.

I owe this to my parents for the conditions they created with their hard work starting from zero, and their support. 

We disagreed a lot in many profound ways but they always gave me the space to be and do what I wanted. 

I miss deeply my father who left this world this year :'(

and I want to return to Greece to be close to my mother.

​

I'm most proud of.. have been doing in life what I wanted to do.

I'm least proud of.. not having the physical state I would like to be in.

I'm most confident in.. having ideas. 

I'm least confident in.. writing and share it in public <-- this is what I want to work on, hence all the above, I think of this weirdly oversharing unrequested interview as an exercise.

​

​

                                                                                - Θες ν' αγγίξεις την αλήθεια για βγες απ' όξω απ' τη συνήθεια -  Ν. Άσιμος