Biography

Born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, I grew up enmeshed a thriving Greek diaspora. Of the many inspirational people in this community, my grandfather was especially influential. After fleeing war-torn Nemea, Greece after World War II, he migrated here, learned English, and went on to become a successful electrical engineer who did everything from work on aircraft carriers to act as regional manager of AT&T. Growing up around him and many other such inspiring people, who overcame difficult circumstances, left their homes, and adapted to life in a new country instilled me with a deep sense of gratitude for the blessings in my own life as well as a deep sense of duty to take full advantage of the opportunities I am lucky enough to have.

I have been fascinated with science for as long as I can remember; my interest stems from a passion for exploring and understanding the world around me that has been an integral part of who I am for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is of my four-year-old birthday party, when I enlisted the help of my dad to create an erupting volcano cake that delighted me by spewing red-dyed baking soda and vinegar all over onlookers.

I became interested in physics specifically in middle school after becoming entranced by Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe. I went on to attend West Forsyth High School, where I developed a love for running as well as a more mature appetite for science and mathematics. Just before graduating in 2018, I was awarded the Stamps Scholarship at Wake Forest University, where I went on to major in Physics. During my tenure at Wake, an introductory philosophy course proved downright transformational as it captivated me by challenging and ultimately changing many of my core tenets up until that point.

Before graduating from Wake Forest, I decided to attend graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to further my career in physics. After graduating from Wake Forest, I moved to Durham with my fiance, Valerie. On my free time, my favorite activity is a brisk daily run. I began running in 7th grade, and have consistently run since the start of high school. In the past, I've completed numerous half marathons and in the next year I hope to run my first marathon.

On the weekends, I frequently visit friends and family in the Winston-Salem area. Aside from that, I love being outdoors on the weekends, often hiking around Eno River State Park. When I have time, I love to take hikes or even the occasional wilderness backpacking trip in the Appalachians. Annually, I go on an extended family camping trip; our favorite is to road trip out West and pitch a tent under the stars in the Rockies.