The Department of Physics honoured the member of the Academy of Athens and Komvos Partner for his contribution to computational materials science
Doros N. Theodorou, Emeritus Professor at the School of Chemical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a member of the Academy of Athens and the US National Academy of Engineering, and a Partner and founding member of Komvos, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Department of Physics at the University of Ioannina. The award ceremony took place on 24 September 2026 at the “Karolos Papoulias” Conference Centre.
From Molecular Structure to the Design of New Materials
His research focuses on developing computational methods that connect the chemical composition of materials with their properties. Through molecular simulations, researchers study how molecular structure and interactions affect a material’s behaviour. This enables them to predict its properties and guide the design of new materials. The Computational Materials Science and Engineering Group (CoMSE) at NTUA, led by Theodorou, works in this field.
Recognising the Work of Doros Theodorou
During the ceremony, Rector Anna Batistatou highlighted his international academic career, his decision to return to Greece and his contribution to the education of young scientists. The tribute was delivered by Georgios Floudas, Professor in the Department of Physics and Dean of the School of Sciences. He highlighted Doros Theodorou’s scientific contribution to molecular simulations and his longstanding collaboration with the University of Ioannina.
In his lecture, entitled “Molecular Simulations of Materials as Tools for Understanding and Design”, Theodorou presented examples from his research and discussed the potential of machine learning and artificial intelligence in computational materials science. Receiving an honorary doctorate from the Department of Physics held particular significance for him: understanding physical phenomena has been a consistent focus of his research, building on his studies in chemical engineering.
From NTUA to Berkeley and the Return to Greece
His academic career began at NTUA, where he completed his undergraduate studies in 1982, and continued at MIT, where he earned his doctorate in 1985. He began teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1986. He returned to Greece in 1995 as a Professor at the University of Patras and joined the School of Chemical Engineering at NTUA in 2002, where he has been Emeritus Professor since 2026.
