Menas Kafatos

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Menas C. Kafatos
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Born (1945-03-25) March 25, 1945 (age 79)
Crete, Greece
Residence Marina Del Rey, CA, USA
Fields Cosmology, Quantum mechanics, Quantum biology, Natural hazards, Climate change, Philosophy
Institutions Chapman University, Center of Excellence in Earth Systems Modeling and Observations (CEESMO)
Alma mater Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD)
Cornell University (BA)
Influences Niels Bohr, John von Neumann, Philip Morrison, Mihai Draganescu
Notable awards Honorary Member, Romanian Academy of Sciences (2000), Rustum Roy Award, Chopra Foundation (2011), IEEE Orange County Chapter, Outstanding Leadership and Professional Service Award (2011)
Spouse Susan Yang

Menas C. Kafatos (Greek: Μηνάς Καφάτος; born 25 March 1945) is an American physicist of Greek descent and international writer on science. His publications include: The Nonlocal Universe and The Conscious Universe. He is internationally known [1][2][3] for bridging the disciplines[clarification needed]; Kafatos has written and lectured extensively on the convergence between science and philosophy to promote discourse between science, spirituality, and religion. In the United States he has been interviewed by and featured in public media outlets for his work on wildfires in California[4][5] and other natural hazards,[6][7] climate change, and quantum theory and consciousness. He has held numerous positions at institutions including Chapman University, George Mason University, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Career

Kafatos received his B.A. in Physics from Cornell University in 1967 and a Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1972.[8] After postdoctoral work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, he joined George Mason University and was University Professor of Interdisciplinary Sciences from 1984-2008, where he also served as Dean of the School of Computational Sciences and Director of the Center for Earth Observing and Space Research.[8] He and a team of computational scientists joined Chapman University in the fall of 2008, where he was the Founding Dean of the Schmid College of Science and Technology serving as dean from 2009 – 2012.[8] He currently is the director of the Center of Excellence in Earth Systems Modeling and Observations (CEESMO).

Kafatos has authored books including The Conscious Universe, The Non-local Universe (with Robert Nadeau, Springer-Verlag and Oxford University Press), Principles of Integrative Science (with Mihai Draganescu, Romanian Academy of Sciences Press), and more than 300 peer reviewed publications, cited by over 750 other articles.[9]

Research

Kafatos' research has focused on cosmology, astrophysics, quantum mechanics, quantum biology, natural hazards, climate change, Earth system science, and remote sensing.

Notable scientific contributions include enhancements to synthetic tropical cyclone (hurricane) circulations used in forecast models,[10] new perspectives on the self organization of the universe through the lens of complexity,[11][12] a detailed look at the relationship between vegetation in the United States and El Niño/Southern Oscillation,[13] and a better understanding of dust and aerosols over India.[14][15]

Personal life

Kafatos lives in Marina Del Rey, CA with his wife Susan Yang, a scientist in the fields of computational biology, experimental biology, and neuroscience. They met while working together at George Mason University. His brother, Fotis Kafatos, is a biologist and founder and Honorary President of the European Research Council (ERC). Kafatos has 3 children: Lefteris, Stefanos, and Alexios. He is the Chairman of the Board for the American Hellenic Council.

Awards and honors

Awards

  • 1986 George Mason University Distinguished Faculty Award
  • 2011 Chopra Foundation Spirit of Rustum Roy Award
  • 2011 IEEE Orange County Chapter Outstanding Leadership and Professional Service Award

Honors

Selected works

Books

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  • Grandpierre, A., Kafatos, M. (2013) Genuine Biological Autonomy: How can the Spooky Finger of Mind Play on the Physical Keyboard of the Brain? Chapter 9, "An Anthology of Philosophical Studies" Vol. 7, P. Hanna (edit.), Athens Institute for Education and Research 2013, pp. 83–98 (Book Chapter)
  • Sarafoglou, N., and Kafatos, M. (2013) Energy Production, Conversion, Transmission, and Distribution, Policy, Planning, and Mitigation Process-General Considerations: Infrastructure and Vilnerability Caused by Climate/00316, in “Climate Variability, 1st Edition: Understanding and Addressing Threats to Essential Resources”, R. A. Pielke, Sr. (edit. In chief), Elsevier, ISBN 9780123847034 (Book Chapter)
  • Qu, J.J., Gao, W., Kafatos, M., Murphy, R.E., Salomonson, V.V. (edit.) Earth Science Satellite Remote Sensing: Science and Instruments Vol. I, & Data, Computational Processing, and Tools, Vol. II, Beijing, Tsinghua Univ. Press, Berlin, Springer-Verlag, (2006), ISBN 3-540-35606-1.
  • Zhou,G., Baysal, O., Kafatos, M., and Yang, R. (edit.) Real-time Information Technology for Future Intelligent Earth Observing Satellites, Hierophantes: Pottstown, Pennsylvania, (2003), ISBN 0-9727940-0-X.

Technical articles

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See also

References

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External links

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