Dr. Charis J. Gantes is Professor of Structural Engineering and Director of the Institute of Steel Structures (ISS) at the School of Civil Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and works with undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, instilling in them the importance of balancing theory and practice. In this interview to Business Partners, the Fulbright alumni and Fulbright Outreach Ambassador talks about his experience with the program, the multiple benefits of studying abroad in the US, and the importance of collaboration between academia and business in promoting innovation and developing real world solutions.
How did your experience as a Fulbright scholar at MIT, in the United States, shape your career in structural engineering, and what key lessons did you bring back to Greece?
Conducting doctoral studies at MIT was a life-changing experience, from which I could mostly isolate three key lessons: Firstly, MIT’s motto, mens et manus, which translates from Latin to “mind and hand” and reflects the ideal of education for practical application. This objective is sometimes underestimated in Greece and in Europe in favor of a purely scientific approach to education, but aiming at real life applications is essential, particularly for engineers. Secondly, striving for excellence and for innovative solutions should become a way of thinking and approaching all tasks, be they simple, everyday ones or more complex and challenging. Lastly, the best results come from teamwork and cooperation rather than from individual effort. The most talented people I met at MIT were also those with no fear of admitting that they don’t know everything and asking for support. They became friends for life.
Striving for excellence and for innovative solutions should become a way of thinking and approaching all tasks
As an expert in steel structures, and particularly given your interest in their behavior and nonlinear responses under extreme loads, how do you see advancements in structural engineering contributing to safer and more sustainable infrastructure worldwide?
Structural engineering is one of the oldest and most mature fields of human activity, as people always had to live in dwellings and cross rivers, yet unsolved problems remain. Structural failures, sometimes causing grave human losses, are a frequent reminder of the rigor with which making structures should be handled. The forces of nature, aggravated by climate change, must be dealt with. Existing structures age and deteriorate, just like people, and must be assessed, repaired, and strengthened.
Advancements in structural engineering include new materials, more reliable computational methods, experimental tests, more advanced software, and better codes and regulations. These are quickly incorporated into university curricula, but also transmitted to practicing engineers by means of continuing education courses, thus steadily contributing to safer and more sustainable infrastructure. Moreover, new methods of digital fabrication will further industrialize the construction industry, thus enabling mass production of standardized, safe, functional, and sustainable structures to address overpopulation in underdeveloped countries.
Many NTUA students look to you for guidance on pursuing graduate studies abroad. What is your advice to aspiring engineers considering a Fulbright grant for studies in the United States?
There is nothing more rewarding than guiding young people to pave their way in life. NTUA’s School of Civil Engineering is consistently ranked among the top in the world in all international rankings, higher than any other Greek university department, so our students are much in request from the best graduate programs in the United States and Europe. My advice to them is that studying at a top US university offers more than expanding your knowledge and being at the forefront of research and innovation. It is also about being exposed to a different way of life, meeting new people from different cultures, discovering your limits, and finding your best self. Anyone who can, should try it, and a Fulbright grant can help make it possible.
Studying at a top US university is also about being exposed to a different way of life, meeting new people from different cultures, discovering your limits, and finding your best self
Collaboration between academia and industry is crucial for innovation in engineering. How do you see this relationship evolving in Greece, and how can international partnerships strengthen it?
Innovation in engineering can indeed benefit a lot from collaboration between academia and industry, which can be highly valuable for both parties. For universities, it is a way to direct their research toward contributing to solving real life problems and to better prepare their students to enter engineering practice. On the other hand, the industry can keep on pace with research progress, support the continuing education of staff, and introduce innovative products early on, improving its competitiveness. Even though this relationship is not very mature in Greece, it has been evolving in recent years, spearheaded also by research projects funded by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation, in which collaboration between academia and industry is a requirement. This is also the case in most Horizon Europe projects funded by the European Union, where international partnerships are also necessary. Hopefully, similar projects will evolve soon, encouraging collaboration between the US and Europe and enabling engineering education, research, and industry in Greece to also benefit in a more direct manner from the strong innovation culture in the United States.
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Fulbright Greece Outreach Ambassadors
Fulbright Greece Outreach Ambassadors are alumni who share their experiences to help promote the scholarship programs, advise future applicants, and connect and engage with our grantees and alumni.
While all Fulbright Greece alumni are ambassadors of the program, the Outreach Ambassadors are Fulbright voices in Greek universities and research centers. They are the Foundation’s points of contact at major institutions of higher education around Greece.
They inform, advise, and assist potential Fulbright Greece scholarship applicants, relate their personal Fulbright experiences in the US, and introduce students to the United States higher education landscape. They increase awareness about Fulbright opportunities in the academic and research environment, either in Greece or in the United States, and engage with US Fulbright grantees to help them integrate into their university and local communities.
For more information visit www.fulbright.gr
