Ioannis Kourakis photo
Ioannis Kourakis

(Yannis)

Professional Resume

(for a detailed CV in .pdf form, follow the links at the bottom of this page)

Current appointment

Assistant Professor (UK equiv. Lecturer, AC3), Centre for Plasma Physics (CPP), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1 NN Northern Ireland.

Visiting Affiliations, Academic Service, Consulting Activity (list not exhaustive)

  • 2014 - today: Editorial Board Member (EBM): Scientific Reports (Nature Group; EBM for Fluids and Plasma Physics): 2014- .
  • 2017 - : Editorial Board Member (EBM): Plasma journal (MDPI, Switzerland).
  • 2009 - today: Editorial Board Member (EBM): Open Plasma Physics Journal.
  • 2017 - : Editorial Board Member (EBM): Nucleus journal (PINSTECH, Nilore, Pakistan).
  • 2017: Visiting Researcher (Pesquisador Visitante), IFT/Instituto de Física Teorica - UNESP/Universidade Estadual Paulista, Sao Paulo, PS, Brazil: details below.
  • 2014-17: Special Visiting Researcher (Pesquisador Visitante Especial - PVE), Instituto de Física - UFRGS/Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil: details below.
  • 2016-today: EPSRC (UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council): Associate Peer Review College member.
  • 2014-17: Physics Evaluation Group membership, Discovery Grants Program, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
  • 2007 - today: Regular visitor at: Ruhr Universität Bochum (RUB), Fakultät für Physik und Astronomie, Theoretische Physik IV (TP4), Gebäeude NB7/33, D-44801 Bochum, Germany.

Past affiliations

  • 2006-07: RUB (Ruhr Universitaet Bochum, Theoretische Physik IV), Bochum, Germany.
    Research Associate, German Research Society (Wissenschaftlischer Mitarbeiter, Deutsche Forschunsgemeinschaft), Emmy Noether Programme SH 93/3-1 ("Cosmic Rays"; PI: Dr Andreas Shalchi).
  • 2006: Universiteit Gent, Astronomy / Sterrenkundig Observatorium, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
    Research Associate / FWO (Flemish Research Fund) Fellow, June-Sept. 2006; Coll. Prof. Frank Verheest.
  • Research Fellow (Project: "Complex Plasmas"); Coll. Prof. Gregor E. Morfill.
  • 2004-05: RUB ( Ruhr Universitaet Bochum, Theoretische Physik IV), Bochum, Germany.
    Research Associate (Wissenschaftlischer Mitarbeiter).
    Deutsche Forschunsgemeinschaft, Programme: SFB 591 - Sonderforschungsbereich 591: "Universelles Verhalten gleichgewichtsferner Plasmen: Heizung, Transport und Strukturbildung"; Coll. Prof. Reinhard Schlickeiser.
  • EU Fellow (EU RTN "Complex Plasmas: The Science of Laboratory Colloidal Plasmas and Mesospheric Charged Aerosols"), 2003-2004; Coll. Prof. Padma Kant Shukla.
  • ULB - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Faculté des Sciences Appliquées (Engineering School of the Free University of Brussels, french-speaking).
    C.P. 165/81 Physique Générale, Avenue F. D. Roosevelt 49, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
    Teaching and Research Assistant, 1999-2005 (on leave from 2003 on); Coll. Prof. Vanhauwermeiren.
  • ULB - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Euratom - Belgian State Association, Faculté des Sciences, C.P. 231 Physique Statistique et Plasmas, Boulevard du Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
    EU Training and Research Fellow (Fusion Programme), 1995-1997.
    PhD Research Assistant, 1997-2002; Coll. Prof. Alkis P. Grecos & Prof. Léon Brénig.

Research Interests

  • Nonlinear Dynamics - Coherent Structures - Soliton Theory.
  • Applied Mathematics - Nonlinear PDEs
  • Plasma Physics - Electrostatic/Electromagnetic Waves.
  • Laser - Plasma Interactions.
  • Space Plasma Physics; Electrostatic Solitary Waves; non-Maxwellian distributions in Solar Physics.
  • Dusty Plasmas (Complex Plasmas).
  • Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics - Kinetic Theory.
  • Materials Science, Condensed Matter Physics (theoretical).

Brief Curriculum

(CV to download: follow link below)

  • PhD (doctorate) degree in Theoretical Physics, 2002
    U.L.B. - Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching (PGCHET), 2013
    Queen's University Belfast.
  • DEA en Sciences (belgian equiv. MPhil. degree in Science), 2001
    U.L.B., Brussels, Belgium.
  • DEA de Physique (french equiv. MSc. degree in Physics), 1991
    Université de Bourgogne (Dijon), France.
  • Ptychio (greek equiv. BSc. degree) in Physics, 1989
    University of Crete (Heraklion), Greece.

Research experience

  • 2007-Today: Centre for Plasma Physics (CPP), Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1 NN Northern Ireland
    Position supported by a UK EPSRC Science and Innovation award in the first 5-yr period (2007-2012).
  • 2017: Visiting Researcher (Pesquisador Visitante), IFT/Instituto de Física Teorica - UNESP/Universidade Estadual Paulista, Sao Paulo, PS, Brazil: supported by the State of Sao Paulo Research Fund (FAPESP) via the UK Academies/CONFAP - Fellowship and Research Mobility program.
  • 2014-17: Special Visiting Researcher (Pesquisador Visitante Especial - PVE), Instituto de Física - UFRGS/Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil: supported by the Brazilian Research Fund (CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnologico - Brasil).
  • 2011 & 2009: University of Sydney (Australia), School of Physics, Complex Systems Group
    Visiting Scholar, 1 month visit(s) (2).
  • 2006: Universiteit Gent (Gent, Belgium), Sterrenkundig Observatorium
    FWO (Belgian Research Fund). Postdoctoral Research Associate.
  • 2003-2005: R.U.B. - Ruhr Universitaet Bochum (Bochum, Germany), Fakultaet für Physik und Astronomie
    SFB-591 German government Programme Research Associate.
    Previously: E.U. TMR-Programme Post-doctoral Research Fellow.
  • 2002: U.Th. - University of Thessaly (Volos, Greece), Industrial Engineering School, Lab. of Fluid Dynamics and Turbomachinery
    E.U. Fusion Mobility Fellow, 1 month visit.
  • 1995-2002: U.L.B. - Université Libre de Bruxelles (Brussels, Belgium), Faculté des Sciences, Physique Statistique et Plasmas
    E.U. Fusion Programme Doctoral Research Fellow
  • 1991-1992: Université de Bourgogne (Dijon, France), Laboratoire Ondes et Structures Cohérentes
    Postgraduate Research Fellow

Teaching experience

  • 2015-today: Lecturing at Department of Mathematics, School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1 NN Northern Ireland.
  • 2007-2015: Lecturing at Department of Physics, School of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, BT7 1 NN Northern Ireland.
  • 1999-2005: U.L.B. - Université Libre de Bruxelles (Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium), Faculté des Sciences Appliquées (Engineering School), Physique Générale (Assistant);
  • 1991-1992: Université de Bourgogne (University of Burgundy, Dijon, France), Faculté des Sciences, DEUG1 Physique & Fac. de Pharmacie, DEUG2 Biophysique (Assistant);
  • 1987-1990: University of Crete (Heraklion, Crete), School of Science, Physics Department (Teaching Assistant, T.A.);
  • Private sector, scientific (college level science and language teaching).
  • Private sector, linguistic (english/french language teaching).

VITAE documents available for download