Science Advisory Committee

Maksym Kovalenko

Professor, ETH Zürich (Switzerland)

Maksym Kovalenko is a professor at ETH Zürich and leads a research group focused on functional inorganic materials and nanomaterials. His field sits at the heart of many technologies that shape modern life—advanced batteries, sensors, and materials that convert or detect light—making it an excellent bridge between fundamental chemistry, physics, and engineering. His work reflects the modern scientific reality that breakthroughs often come from interdisciplinary thinking: understanding materials at the nanoscale requires synthesis, measurement, modeling, and iterative experimentation.

Maria Petropoulou

Assistant Professor of Physics, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece)

Maria Petropoulou is an astrophysicist and assistant professor of physics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Her research focuses on understanding the most energetic environments in the universe—such as relativistic jets and powerful cosmic transients—using theoretical and computational models. This area of science is a natural inspiration engine for students: it connects curiosity (“What happens near a black hole?”) with rigorous scientific thinking (“How do we model and test ideas using physics and data?”). Dr. Petropoulou’s background includes internationally competitive research experience and strong academic training, which positions her as an excellent fit for a global science advisory role.

The committee members are listed in the alphabetical order.