Mr. George Pavlidis, PhD student at SEERC, has been selected as one of the finalists in the competition Destination Change: New Solutions for Greece. The competition is a collaborative effort by Ashoka, The Hellenic Initiative, the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Boehringer Ingelheim Ellas, and SAP Hellas in order to generate innovative solutions for social change in Greece. The top four entries will receive €10 000 and one winner will also receive licenses for three users for SAP Business One software.
Mr. Pavlidis’ entry is the “50+ Technology” project that is actualized in the premises of CITY College. The project has the purpose to educate people over the age of 50 about basic computer and tablet skills. Instead of giving a lecture on the subject, senior students are taught by young college students on a one-on-one basis In addition to helping the older generation find ways to facilitate communication, young students are provided with the opportunity to interact with seniors, become aware of the issues related to the ageing population, and gain practical experience.
Mr. George Pavlidis is currently conducting research for his PhD about social factors’ influence on cognitive decline in the elderly population. He holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology from CITY College, International Faculty of the University of Sheffield. This is not the first time Mr. Pavlidis has been recognised for his work. He was been awarded with the Sheffield Graduate Award, and the Santander Research Mobility Reward from the University of Sheffield on two occasions. Before pursuing his academic career, Mr. Pavlidis was a professional basketball player.
