Computer Hardware Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park

I am an Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Macedonia at Kastoria, a senior post-doctoral researcher at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a 2023-2024 Fulbright Fellow from Greece, who spent the fall semester as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Maryland (UMD). My research focuses on creating ultra-fast, low-latency computer memory hardware, by exploiting the energy efficiency and broad-bandwidth capabilities of integrated photonics memories instead of electronics.

My research on computing hardware fits like a glove with the research and know-how generated at UMD on material sciences.

To date, Networking equipment, Data Centers and Cloud Computing infrastructure that light up the Internet and our everyday virtual activities consume more electricity than entire countries, exceeding the power consumption of Colombia or Argentina and even competing with the UK. The huge energy waste of power-hungry communication infrastructure is expected to further exacerbate as Data never sleeps and to continue scaling upwards relentlessly.

I had the pleasure of working at the Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, being offered an office and consumables from the very first day of my visit, as well as being granted access to the lab, office equipment, news, email alerts or even a shuttle bus, without wasting any of my short research visit. Colleagues of my research group and other professors always offered to voluntarily identify missing laboratory equipment to perform some extra measurements in a neighboring lab and lend it for a few days. This has been one of the most supportive working environments I have ever encountered, allowing me and the rest of the graduate students and researchers to devote our time and strength to what we love most, research in photonics.

I have a rich knowledge of optical computing systems, optical switched networks and 5G/6G hardware tech, being at the forefront of European research and participating in various EU-research projects in information and communication technologies. I am currently affiliated as a senior researcher with the Wireless and Photonic Systems and Networks (WinPhoS) research group at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (KEDEK) of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), and as an adjunct lecturer with the Department of Informatics at the University of Western Macedonia, both institutes being located in Northern Greece. 

The knowledge gained during my Fulbright scholarship at UMD will be transferred to both Greek universities towards training EU-personnel in an emerging technology. This will occur in the form of mentoring several bachelor, master and Ph.D. students on Phase Change Materials and the physics that dictate their operation as photonic memories, as well as organizing short courses/seminars on experimental characterization of silicon photonic waveguides and switches with Phase Change Materials.

It was certainly much more than just a scholarship for performing academic research in a different lab. It has been an enriching and enlightening experience, where I had the chance to experience a multi-national research and academic institute, working in an environment of distinctive equity and inclusion approach techniques, a transformative cultural and academic experience, with unrivaled support before, during and after the grant—a lifelong membership with tremendous networking opportunities. The overall hospitality of the UMD personnel was tremendous, with such a warm welcome to new visiting members, forming the frame of a fascinating experience that I will proudly promote.

^{(excerpt from the Maryland Global interview)
See also : University of Western Macedonia (in Greek) 
UMD Rios Lab
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