ERC ‘deeply shocked’ over death of prominent Greek scientist

The European Research Council (ERC) said it was “deeply shocked” by the death of prominent Greek scientist and researcher Theodore Papazoglou, who died on April 13 at the age of 57 after contracting the coronavirus.

“It is hard to imagine the ERC without him. Theo was one of the rocks upon which the ERC was built. He helped to set up the ERC since 2006 and had served it ever since with loyalty, devotion and wisdom,” the ERC said in a statement issued on April 14 and signed by the council’s presidents, members, secretaries general, directors and staff.

The research body hailed Papazoglou’s knowledge of “the value of frontier research” and “what it takes to do it,” as well as his “an unrivalled knowledge of the ERC’s history and mandate.”

“Theo embodied the ERC, its spirit and history like no one else. Whenever we deliberate in future, the first thought of many will be, ‘what would Theo have said?’” it said.

Papazoglou was born in Athens and studied physics at the University of Crete. Then he moved for doctoral studies and postdoctoral training to the Unites States. Upon his return to Greece, he conducted research and lectured at the Institute of Electronic Structure and Lasers of the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas and the University of Crete.

He passed away at a Brussels hospital after several days in intensive care. He is survived by his wife and two children.