Eleven scholars were selected from disciplines spanning the humanities, engineering, the sciences and the social sciences.

Giannakopoulou joins the Department with a research goal to deepen understanding of the design principles of biotechnological tools for numerous applications in the areas of renewable energy, the environment and human health. She aims to develop novel multifunctional synthetic systems, involving several aspects of nano-biotechnology and synthetic biology, to address challenges of renewable energy and the environment. Giannakopoulou holds a Ph.D. in biotechnology and a diploma of biology (intergraded master) from the University of Ioannina, Greece. She is advised by José L. Avalos, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment.

The Presidential Postdoctoral Research Fellows program recognizes and supports outstanding scholars who will make important contributions in their fields. By bringing together scholars across academic fields, the program allows them to deepen their disciplinary expertise while testing out new ideas from other disciplines. These scholars will contribute to the University’s excellence and its diversity, broadly defined. Financial support is provided for up to two years at full salary.

“We have brought in a talented cohort of scholars from various sectors of American society and from across the globe,” said Frederick Wherry, vice dean for diversity and inclusion in the Office of the Dean of Faculty and the Townsend Martin, Class of 1917 Professor of Sociology. 

Wherry continued: “They run the range of the university’s disciplines, but they share in their potential to address some of the biggest challenges in their disciplines and in the world. These cohorts of talented future faculty enable us to meet our core goals of excellent teaching and innovative research.”

For information on all the 2023 Scholars, see the full story on the Princeton University homepage.