Speaker : Prof. Vasilis Efthymiou, Harokopio University of Athens
Title : From Data to Discovery: Computational Methods for the Astrophysical Knowledge Era
Date : 2026-06-08
Time: 14:00 - 15:30
Location : Orphanoudakis Meeting Room - FORTH
Host : Panagiotis Tsakalides and Jean-Luc Starck
Abstract:
The rapid advancement of observational technology has shifted the primary challenge of space sciences from data acquisition to data management and intelligent analysis. In this seminar, I discuss how the intersection of big data management, semantic technologies, and AI-driven analytics forms the essential infrastructure for modern scientific discovery. I will present my work on bridging the gap between computer science and astrophysics through the creation of machine-actionable knowledge graphs and semantically enriched data products. By detailing recent breakthroughs in automated astrophysical cataloging and scalable data integration, I will demonstrate how robust computational methods enable cross-domain discovery at scale. I will conclude by outlining a vision for the future of Astroinformatics, focusing on the role of high-performance data systems in the next generation of space missions.
Bio:
Vasilis Efthymiou is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Informatics and Telematics at Harokopio University of Athens (HUA) and an Affiliated Researcher at FORTH-ICS. Prior to his current appointment at HUA, he was a Postdoctoral Researcher at the database group of IBM Research – Almaden and at FORTH-ICS. He has co-authored two books, more than 60 peer-reviewed articles, and co-invented 4 US patents. Since 2025, he has been serving as the Coordinator of the W3C Greek Office. He has co-organized at HUA the first IAU interdisciplinary symposium between astrophysics and computer science (UniversAI), as well as the Multi-Messenger and Numerical Techniques in Astrophysics (MuMeNTA) workshop. He is currently the General Co-chair of the Hellenic Data Management Symposium (HDMS) 2026 and the Local Chair of VLDB 2027.