From Athens to AUBG

Recently, I had the chance to spend a few minutes with one of the newest faculty members of AUBG – Professor Nikolaos Konstantinidis. Many might see him as the typical physics professor – deeply fascinated by theories and equations. Don’t get me wrong, he is, but he is so much more than a scientist. An experienced scholar, an advocate for curiosity, and an instructor who believes in the power of active thinking, he brings a global perspective and a passion for discovery into the classroom.

A Global Academic Odyssey

Born and raised in Greece, Professor Konstantinidis started his academic journey studying physics in Athens. Following his need to pursue deeper knowledge and self-evolution, he found himself all the way to the United States, where he graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo. This experience of a new educational system not only helped him gain academic knowledge but also opened his horizons to a different culture.

“The American curriculum is quite different from Europe’s – it’s more extensive and takes longer. But it allowed me to be fully integrated into the academic environment.”

Later on, he continued to expand his career on an international level, scoring research and teaching positions in Ireland, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. And finally, that led him to the small town of Blago – at AUBG.

Teaching Physics: More Than Just Formulas

Physics and mathematics are known to intimidate the majority of students, but the professor views them as subjects that promote curiosity and engagement. His approach when teaching is to engage students actively in the learning process.

“What I'm trying to do is kind of make the students follow my thinking, not in a dictatorial way, but to ‘emerge’ the different things that come. You know, just think together.”

One challenge he identified in his academic experience is his aim to link real-life examples and situations to the theories taught in class.

“Sometimes this is not easy, especially if you want to teach the student more specific skills of solving problems, because there is one thing - the application. The other is you have to feel a little bit more abstract in your mind and see in some kind of theoretical way what you're doing.”

Bridging Physics and Culture

As an experienced researcher Professor Konstantinidis focuses on the field of physics that studies the properties of solid materials. He also possesses some programming skills and surprisingly has never in his career used AI as a tool to help in his many research publications.

“I know AI is producing theorems now, and that’s both scary and fascinating,” he laughs. “Maybe it's a resource that everybody will eventually have to use, but I haven't used it yet, so I don't know.”

But one question remains - out of all places, why AUBG?

“AUBG has that American university structure I was familiar with from my time in Iraq, but in a completely different cultural setting. I was very curious about Bulgaria as well, it's a different part of the world. I've never been to any Eastern European countries, so it's definitely a challenge to come here.”

First Impressions: An Academic Island

The contrast between the town of Blago itself and the atmosphere on campus is what left a lasting impression in his mind.

“We’re like an island here,” he shares. “You step outside, and it’s a different world. But inside AUBG, there’s a sense of familiarity.”

Despite the language barrier, he has not experienced any major difficulties since moving here in July last year.

“I come from a neighboring country, so nothing feels too foreign. Plus, as faculty, we get a good sense of the environment before we arrive.”

Glance in the Future: Building a Legacy at AUBG

With a hopeful smile into the near future, his goals include just two simple things: to establish himself as a good professor here and to continue researching new and important theories.

 

This article has been written by Borislava Mincheva, an AUBG student. It is part of the collaboration between AUBG Daily and the Newsroom course led by Prof. Laura Kelly.