Post by NCSR "DEMOKRITOS"

“Don’t think like others”. Konstantin Novoselov, recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics for the isolation of graphene, made that remark at the ENABLE Topical Team Kick-Off Meeting at European Space Agency - ESA headquarters, a gathering focused on pushing the research frontier of advanced materials for the space industry. Maria Vasilopoulou, from the Institute of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology at NCSR Demokritos, contributed to the “Material-by-Design” panel alongside Novoselov, Stephan Roche, Angelo R. Maligno, and Ferdinando Auricchio, as the only female researcher across the day’s panels. Her work focuses on advanced materials and photonics, including perovskites, which are opening new directions in optoelectronics, energy technologies, and communication applications. She has published in leading journals, notably Nature Photonics, Nature Electronics, Nature Nanotechnology, and Nature Communications. The panel explored how AI, simulations, and computational design can accelerate the discovery of materials capable of performing in harsh space environments. Within this context, Novoselov’s statement captures a core condition for breakthrough research. His words point to intellectual risk, creativity, and the willingness to move beyond established paths - a reminder that scientific progress is not only about precision, but also about the courage to challenge conventional assumptions. #MaterialsScience #InnovativeMaterials #WomenInScience #SpaceTechnology #ResearchCulture #ESA