Prof. Michael Fardis has received the 2021 Vassilis Xanthopoulos - Stephanos Pnevmatikos Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching

On 21st December 2022, the President of the Greek Republic presented prof. Michael Fardis with the Vassilis Xanthopoulos - Stephanos Pnevmatikos Award for Excellence in Academic Teaching for the year 2021. The prize – the only one rewarding academic teaching excellence in Greece – has been given every year since 1991 by FORTH (Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas, https://www.forth.gr/en/content/Vassilis-Xanthopoulos--Stephanos-Pnevmatikos-Award.60/).

Prof. Fardis is Professor Emeritus at the University of Patras, Greece. He was Chairman of CEN/TC250/SC8 “Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance” during the development of Eurocode 8 (1998-2005). He was Vice Chairman of CEN/TC250 “Structural Eurocodes” (2013-19); Director of the International Association of Earthquake Engineering (2012-20); President of the International Federation of Structural Concrete (fib) in 2009-10 and Deputy President in 2007-08. He is author or co-author of several books, publications and designer guides to the application of Eurocode 8 (https://eurocodes.jrc.ec.europa.eu/publications/designers-guide-en-1998-1-and-1998-5-eurocode-8-design-provisions-earthquake-0). He is a world-known expert in seismic engineering, particularly in non-linear modelling of reinforced concrete structures.

Prof. Theodosios Tassios (Professor Emeritus of Concrete Structures at the Polytechnic University of Athens, Greece) made the introductory presentation of the awardee. In particular, he praised the longstanding contribution of prof. Fardis to European and international standards for construction.

For his part, Prof Fardis closed his acceptance speech by referring to the role of European standards in the facilitation of the internal market and in establishing the position of Europe in world trade.