About

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering was established in 1999. It is one of the 24 Departments comprising the University of Ioannina.

In Greece, solely the Department of Materials Science and Engineering of the University of Ioannina offers a 5-years span of curriculum courses (the curriculum gathers 300 ECTS) and is recognized as a full Engineering Department, regarding professional rights of graduated students.

The Department aims at

1. the most modern materials science and engineering,
2. providing to the local community (industrial, commercial, private or public sector) scientific and technological consultation on issues related to advance and traditional materials, and
3. preparing students for market economy (local, Greek, European and global), either in industry or research, and develop their own successful career after graduation, acting, however, as their reservoir of scientific support for lifetime.

Personnel

Department of Materials Science and Engineering currently comprises of 23 Faculty members, Laboratory Teaching staff (6 members), Laboratory Technical staff (4 members), administration staff (4 members) and a number of contracted Instructors-Senior Scientists who are predominantly hired for teaching aids (but they also significantly serve research aims as well). Details about the department personnel can be found by following this link.

Research directions

The Department addresses its research and educational interests towards the following general directions:

1. Structural and industrial materials: Metals and alloys, ceramics and glasses, cements, composite materials.
2. Functional materials: Polymers (including also petrochemicals, lubricants, paints) and materials for biomedical applications.
3. Electronic materials: Semiconductors, magnetic materials, superconductors, optical materials.
4. Simulations and modeling of materials’ properties and design.

Courses

According to the aforementioned perception, undergraduate courses (both teaching and laboratory exercises) mostly emphasize in modern perspectives of materials science, such as nanotechnology, biomedical applications, theoretical modeling etc. Beyond introductory courses (e.g. general physics, chemistry, mathematics, informatics etc.), teaching on issues related to environment (packaging materials, management of wastes, energy saving, etc.), management, industrial process engineering (e.g. production, characterization, quality control) is also provided in the curriculum. A Diploma Thesis, carried out in 10th semester, aims to familiarize students with hands-on experience (industrial or research) of a Materials Scientist and Engineer. The Department encourages and organizes Training-Stages of students during summer holidays in Greek enterprises.

Presentation of the department's facilities (captions are in Greek)

Location, features and tips for visitors

The University Campus is located about 6 kilometers southwest from downtown Ioannina. The University Campus (and specifically the Rectory Building) is marked in the latest edition of Google Earth as 39ο37’11.60’’ Ν, 20ο50’42.00’’ Ε.

Public buses regularly run during the day and connect the Campus with several spots of the city.

The city of Ioannina can be plausibly called as the “Greek Switzerland” because of the lake Pamvotis and the surrounding high mountains (many of them more than 2000 meters high), usually covered with snow for more than 6 months per year.

Ioannina, located in northwest Greece, 60 km west from the coastline opposite Corfu, is not actually far from the other big cities of Greece, Athens, Thessaloniki and Patras. Access to the city via driving is now quite easy because the network of motorways connecting Ioannina with these three big cities as well the coastal city of Igumenitsa, that is opposite Corfu island, is now almost fully available. Despite the long time of driving, the trip itself is magnificent because the road transverses through still wild, virgin and little known landscapes of Greece. Ioannina is connected with Athens International Airport El. Venizelos with 1 flight per day. Public buses (“KTEL”) also provide regular connection with all the Greek cities everyday. There is no railway connection.

The city front in the banks of lake and the historical centre are ideal places for walking, socializing, clubbing, shopping, entertainment, dinning, and leisure for all ages. 10.000 out of the 100.000 habitants are university students, rendering Ioannina a joyful and youth city. Gastronomy (e.g. pies, frog legs, Zitsa wines), handicrafts (e.g. silver ones) and a tour to the fortress and the island of Ali-Pasha are special tips for the visitor. Just 10 minutes by car from the University, the ancient sacred spot of Dodone with the stone made theatre (erected in the 3rd century b.C., 18.000 spectators) is a must for all foreigners and Greek visitors. Around Ioannina, the traditional villages of Zagoria with the preserved stone-made houses, hostels and restaurants as well as the unique and amazing stone arc-bridges, the breathtaking Vickos canyon, the amazing virgin mountains of Tzoumerka, and the cosmopolitan alpine city of Metsovo also challenge the visitor. For the more active visitors, installations and clubs for rafting, rock-climbing and other extreme sports are also available in a fly distance from city centre.

Holidays

For your convenience, please keep in mind the following national, local (Ioannina) and university holidays:

• 1–7 January: Religion-Civil Holiday (New Year, Epiphany)
• 17 January: Local Religious Holiday (Saint George of Ioannina) – it is holiday in the city of Ioannina but a regular working day in the University
• 30 January: School Religious Holiday (Three Holy Hierarchs, Saint-Protectors of Studying)
• 21 February: Local-Civil Holiday (Liberation of the city of Ioannina, 1912)
• 25 March: National Holiday (Independence Day, 1821), coinciding with Annunciation of Virgin Mary
• Lent Monday: Religious-Holiday (1st day of lent, 7 weeks before Sunday Easter, date varies every year)
• Easter: Religious Holyday (Good Friday and Easter Monday, courses stop for it lasts 2 weeks, 1 week before and 1 after Sunday Easter, dates vary every year)
• 1 May: Labours Day
• Whit Monday: Religious Holiday (Holy Spirit, first day after Pentecost, 7 weeks after Sunday Easter, date varies every year in relation to Easter)
• August: Holidays of the University
• 15 August: Religious Holiday (Dormition of Virgin Mary)
• 26-28 October: National Holiday (Resistance against 2nd World War, 1940)
• 17 November: School Holiday (University students’ upraising against military dictatorship, 1973)
• 24-31 December: Religion-Civil Holiday (Christmas)