The Onassis Foundation welcomes our new scholars for the 2025–26 academic year

With the support of the Onassis Foundation, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, 7,889 young scientists and researchers have overcome barriers and achieved breakthroughs in their fields. From physics to medicine, and from engineering to energy, the Foundation has consistently invested in knowledge, innovation and creativity that shapes the future. By supporting their work, the Foundation not only transforms the lives of the scholars themselves but also positively impacts society at large, providing solutions to global challenges.

The Onassis Foundation has always believed in equal opportunities for creativity and growth. Since 1978, through its Scholarship Program, it has supported the bold dreams of thousands of individuals, funding their studies in Greece and abroad. This year, through the new initiative of the Onassis Public Schools, it is upgrading public secondary education by establishing middle and high schools that inspire, empower and offer every child the space to dream, to grow, and the chance to be recognized for their performance and perseverance, regardless of social background. With the start of the 2025–26 school year, the first 12 Onassis Public Schools will open in four regions of the country: Attica, Thessaloniki, Kozani and Xanthi.

Meet some of the new Onassis Scholars:

Anastasios Bithas is pursuing his PhD at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. His research focuses on a sensitive issue that has long concerned Greek society: the coordination of train traffic under conditions of uncertainty (algorithm development).

Athanasios Klimentidis has been accepted for doctoral studies at Cambridge University. His research examines voting rights in corporations and the impact of collectivist versus individualist cultural norms on the power of the vote.

Violetta Krisilia is conducting her PhD at Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf in Germany in Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology. Her research focuses on developing new antimicrobial drugs and repurposing already approved ones, a pressing public health need, particularly in low-income countries.

Eleni Vasiliki Alexi is pursuing her PhD at Princeton University in the USA, focusing on human-machine collaboration in digital construction methods. Specifically, she combines augmented reality systems with human craftsmanship to promote lumber reuse, aiming to develop sustainable and socially integrated building practices.

Dimitrios Spinos is undertaking his doctoral research in applied health and translational studies at the University of Birmingham in the UK. His research centers on developing and evaluating an innovative model for ENT outpatient clinics, aiming to advance remote diagnosis and telemedicine.