Professor A. J. Karabelas holds degrees in Chemical Engineering (Diploma, National Techn. University of Athens; MS and PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA). He was employed (1970-1978) as Senior Research Engineer at the Shell Westhollow Research Center, Houston. Serving (1978-2005) as Professor of the Chemical Engineering Department at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, contributed to its establishment and development. He is a founding member (and Deputy Director, 1985-2005) of CPERI, at the Centre for Research and Technology - Hellas (CERTH), heading the Laboratory of Natural Resources and Renewable Energies (NRRE) since 1985. His main research interests include multiphase flow processes, colloidal systems and membrane separations, with applications to process development and equipment design for water/effluent treatment (desalination, purification) and for valorisation of agro-industrial wastes. He has coordinated many R&D projects, supervised numerous theses (>150 Diploma, MSc, PhD) and published over 220 peer-reviewed papers. He has organized several international and national scientific events, also serving in the Editorial/ Advisory Board of scientific journals. Dr Karabelas has served in various technical, science-policy and advisory committees in Greece and abroad, including the Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre of European Union (1984-1991) representing Greece.