The United Kingdom's engineer of the year is Greek!

Greeks abroad continue to excel, winning great distinctions for their work and contribution in the fields in which they operate, and Dr. Fragkoulis Kanavaris, an engineer, is no exception.

At only the age of 32, Dr. Fragkoulis Kanavaris was awarded with the Engineer of the Year award for 2022 by the Royal Academy of London.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is one of the most respected institutions in the United Kingdom that is made up of prominent figures in the sciences.

Dr. Fragkoulis Kanavaris, who has been living and working in the United Kingdom for the last few years, received the highest distinction that a scientist/engineer under the age of 35 can receive.

This is an award given to people who have contributed with their work to the advancement of engineering science and who make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of society.

Fragkoulis Kanavaris, a PhD in civil engineering specialising in green construction and building materials, received this award for the pioneering methods he has proposed and applied to major projects worldwide that have resulted in significant reductions in construction-related pollutants:

• High Speed ​​2 - Inter-British railway, among the fastest in Europe
• Sagrada Famila - Barcelona
• Hickley Point C - The UK's largest nuclear reactor
• 8 Bishopsgate Tower - Skyscraper in the City of London London Underground
• Tunnels (UK), Sydney & Melbourne (Australia)
• Heathrow Airport (UK), Kuwait and Toronto (Canada)

He has also been recognised for his contribution to the science of structural engineering and building materials due to his proposed improved methods of analysis and alternative environmentally friendly construction materials.

It is noteworthy that this prize is awarded for the first time to a Greek.

“It is very important to receive an award of this magnitude. I know very well, however, that there are many highly qualified young people both abroad and in Greece who make commendable efforts in various scientific fields and potentially, they would deserve such recognition. It is a message for young people as well as older people, not to stop trying and envisioning," said Frangiskos Kanavaris to Proto Thema.

The award was presented to the 33-year-old engineer by British Minister for Science and Research Chi Onwurah in the presence of Princess Anne, daughter of Queen Elizabeth and sister of Prince Charles.

Frangiskos Kanavaris was born and raised in Piraeus. A graduate of the Ionideum School of Piraeus, he continued his studies at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom where he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2013.

He then conducted his doctoral research and thesis at Queen's University Belfast in the United Kingdom, graduating with a PhD in 2017. Since then, he has lived and worked in London.

Photo credits: Royal Academy of Engineering

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