CHI Circle brings together scientists from Israel and Greece to form cooperative relationships

Charles Mouratides,

executive director of CHI Circle

CHICAGO (August 6, 2014) – On September 14, Circle for Hellas and Israel (CHI Circle), local nonprofit presents to the public for the first time a cooperative program between Greek and Israeli scientists—the Technology Innovation Exchanges (TIEs). The event takes place at Francis W. Parker’s Heller Auditorium, 330 W. Webster, Chicago. 3-5 pm, reception and light refreshments to follow. Tickets are $30, students with ID $10; and can be purchased online at www.chitechtransfer.org.

The program will feature a special concert by Athens born Cantor Alberto Mizrahi of Anshe Emet Synagogue and Grammy Award pianist Howard Levy, celebrating the historic Greece Israel alliance through concert of songs in Greek, Hebrew and Ladino. An awards ceremony will follow, presenting the Tradition of Miletus awards named after the city of Miletus, the ancient center of technology and innovation.

CHI TIEs confronts the essential issue of the tech-to-market barrier in Greece. CHI Circle credits Prof. Stergios Logothetidis—Director, Nanotechnology Laboratory, Aristotle University—whose thoughts about the need for an entity to transfer the product of university research to the marketplace inspired TIEs.“There is no entity today that helps us to bring the product of research to the marketplace”….Dr Stergios Logothetidis, Director Nanotechnology Laboratory, Aristotle University. TIEs response to this difficult situation brings together Greek and Israeli research and technology experts who explore applications from Israel, the “Start-Up Nation.” Israel’s technology community has experienced groundbreaking levels of growth, largely due to a network of Technology Incubators intended to match research products from universities with appropriate funds to bring ideas to the marketplace.

TIEs not only helps revolutionize open scientific discourse and technological cooperation; it bridges the gap between a problem faced by one country, and the possible solutions applied by another. In this age of innovation and information exchange, we must recognize the importance of bringing people together around a table to spark new ideas; ideas that can benefit people around the globe.

An unprecedented 2013 Tech Transfer Roundtable in Greece brought together highest ranking research and technology experts, solidified cross-cultural cooperation toward the greater goal: forming an innovation exchange. It cut a path for these pioneers to meet again this coming December at Roundtable 2014 in Israel. CHI Circle for Hellas is proud to host Dr. Stergios Logothetidis, and Dr. Nico Maglaveris, who participated in Roundtable 13; which included colleagues from the Greek Universities of Democritus, Volos, Athens and the Israeli Universities of Technion, Bar Ilan, and Tel Aviv.

Chicago, one of the most exciting and newest technology innovation hubs, welcomes these distinguished scientific and cultural pioneers. Among the many members of the Chicago innovation community who expressed interest in the project, Chicago’s UI LABS, the Digital Lab for Manufacturing, Argonne Labs and Northwestern University have agreed to host several days of private tours and seminars.

In the face of recent negative media attention for both Greece and Israel; TIEs highlights these nations’ positive assets by bringing together the brightest minds to develop innovative scientific solutions to problems in energy, desalination, agriculture, medicine, nanotechnology, biochemistry.