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S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S.

Research Group of the Surveying Department of Athens TEI
The ΤΕΙ (Higher Technological Educational Institution) of Athens is the third largest Educational Institution of Higher Education in Greece, with more than 35.000 students and 2.500 staff (academic, administrative, technical).

The Research Group activities' which operates in the field of Geoinformatics (Geographic Information Systems, Cartographic Databases, Remote Sensing, etc.), are threefold:

  1. Research / Research Projects / Consultancy
  2. E-learning
  3. Life Long Education - Learning using state-of the-art technologies and innovative methods.

The primary aim of the Research Group is to participate in the diffusion and implementation of technologies, data and knowledge of Geoinformatics at the Private and Public sector

HISTORY – FOUNDATION

The Research Group of the Geoinformatics field S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S. (Society for Organizations Cartography Remote sensing and Applications using Technology on Earth and Space) was founded by Dimos N. PANTAZIS, Professor of TEI of Athens, in early 2000, immediately after his return to Greece, coming from the Geography Department - Land Surveying Section of the University of Liege in Belgium (Pantazis was Assistant Professor / (Maître de Conférences) and Senior Researcher at FNRS - Belgium).

The actual establishment of the Group was initiated with the creation of an international consortium with the support of the Hellenic Geographic Military Service, in which members were the National Remote Sensing Center of China (People's Rebublic of China), the Space Imaging Europe Company, and the Surveying Department of TEI of Athens. The consortium successfully undertook, with parallel submission of proposals in both countries (Greece – China Bilateral research project), a two-year research project with the title: Research of the possibility for update of topographic maps 1:50.000 with high resolution satellite images. The research project belonged to the Joint Research and Technology Programs 2000 – 2002 of Greece – China and was funded by the European Union (EU) - (through the General secretariat of Research and Technology - Ministry of Development) - and the Space Imaging Europe Company.

The fruitful cooperation of all the participants of the research consortium lead to the successful undertaking of a second two-year research project with the title: Research of the possibility for accuracy improvement of topographic maps 1:50.000 and 1:25.000 with high resolution satellite images, within the same framework (Joint Research and Technology Programs 2002 - 2006) of Greece – China. These projects, combined with international co-operation schemes, with universities abroad and research centres, in the field of Geoinformatics, have showed the way, to further development of the research activities of the group. Since then the research group S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S. has carried out a large number of research projects and has participated in many scientific / research co-operations with universities abroad, private sector companies, insitutions, etc.

SCIENTIFIC FIELD OF RESEARCH

The research group S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S. focuses on applied and fundamental research in all scientific and technological fields of Geoinformatics, such as:

  • Geographic and Cartographic databases (design, development, implementation, monitoring, metadata development, update),
  • CASE-tools for Geographic databases, etc.,
  • Modelling / Re-modelling / Reverse Engineeringof procedures, databases and data flow of organisations,
  • Digital Cartography
  • Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S.) (Design, implementation in organisations, development of G.I.S. design methods, development of innovative G.I.S. applications in various sectors, etc.)
  • Development of innovative Remote Sensing applications in sectors like: environment, water resources management, land planning, defence, etc.

Moreover, the research group S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S., develops educational material and new methods of teaching in particular scientific areas in the field of Geoinformatics, while sustaining and participating in academic exchanges between Greek and foreign universities for short-term seminars and lectures. The research group S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S organises sessions of e-learning and life-long learning in the field of Geoinformatics, for the graduates of the Surveying Department of Athens TEI, but also for others actors interested from the Private and Public sector.

MEMBERS – GROUP ORGANISATION

The members of the group are distinguished between permanent and occasional. The permanent members participate in principle in all administrative and research activities of the group and in the diffusion of the results in Greece and abroad. The occasional members co-operate with the group in particular research projects within specific periods of time. The permanent members may be academics, technical staff of Higher Educational Institutions, Private and Public sector actors etc. Occasional members include also undergraduate and postgraduate students, etc.

SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT OF RESEARCH PROJECTS AND STUDIES

All research projects, educational seminars and programs are carried out under the approval of the Research Committee of the Institution (TEI of Athens) and the signing of a contract according to relevant law and regulations concerned with research and educational contracts.
Any public (other Universities, Local Authorities, Ministries, various other actors…) and private body (companies, private institutions,….) may inquire from the research group S.O.C.R.A.T.E.S.

  • participation in research projects
  • participation in international research consortiums for submitting research proposals in the wider area of Geoinformatics
  • consultancy in education as mentioned above.