Dr. Spyros Chaikalis, the inaugural awardee of the Eva and Yogi Agrawal award at PiE 2023, passed away in a devastating car accident in May. Spyros was en route to HCMR when, under unknown circumstances, his car veered off the road and collided with a tree, claiming his life instantly.
Spyros, a vibrant 37-year-old, was born in Zakynthos, Greece. He initially pursued Civil Engineering at the University of Patras before his passion for marine sciences led him to the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. There, he earned his MSc and, in 2024, his PhD with a dissertation on “Water Masses Optical Properties in an Oligotrophic Environment.” For the past decade, Spyros diligently worked on contract at the Institute of Oceanography/HCMR, contributing to various research projects. His dedication to fieldwork and sampling Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) – with LISSTs as well as with many other types of instrumentation – at sea was unwavering, even though he often battled seasickness according to his colleagues. He authored and co-authored multiple papers on the optical properties of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.
We will forever remember Spyros for his warm smile, his kind heart, his humor, and his friendship.