Spiros N. Agathos, Ph.D., has been recognized for his contribution to teaching and research in the fields of industrial and applied microbiology.

May 10, 2019

Spiros N. Agathos, Ph.D., rector of Yachay Tech University, is the winner of the Waksman Outstanding Teaching Award granted by the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology of the United States (SIMB).

This recognition is granted annually to outstanding academics in the fields of microbiology and biotechnology. The award recognizes specifically the contribution of academics to industrial fields related to these scientific disciplines. The rector will receive two thousand dollars that will cover his expenses to attend the Society’s annual meeting where he will receive a commemorative plaque. Additionally, he’ll write an article about his experiences in teaching which will be published in the SIMB News magazine.

The award is named after Selman Waksman, a Nobel laureate who discovered the streptomycin, the first successful treatment for tuberculosis, and who stood out for his work as mentor and professor.

Spiros N. Agathos, Ph.D., received the award for his teaching on industrial and applied microbiology in internationally recognized institutions. The recognition is granted only to those who have more than 10 years of experience teaching in universities. Another essential requirement is to actively participate in scientific research in areas of microbiology and biotechnology applied to the industry. The person who receives the award must have, among their list of publications, research that has contributed to the progress of the microbiology and biotechnology industry or to applied research in these fields.

The SIMB nominated Yachay Tech’s rector after receiving letters of recommendation from several of his graduate and postgraduate students. The award has been granted on 27 occasions and it recognizes excellence and dedication in teaching, mentoring and research. Spiros N. Agathos, Ph.D., joins the list of outstanding academics who have won this award. Other awardees include Y.C. Fung, known as the father of modern biomechanics, and Thomas Dale Brock, who discovered hyperthermophilic microorganisms, among others. For Agathos, this is a very important recognition as, throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to his students and to the new generations of scientists.