Dr. Thanos Balafoutis is an architect and lighting designer who graduated from the School of Architecture of the University "Federico II" of Naples, Italy. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Lighting Design (Hellenic Open University) and a PhD in Architectural Lighting (Hellenic Open University). He is a postdoctoral researcher at the Hellenic Open University with a scholarship. He has participated in several lighting-related scientific and educational research projects, served as a juror in an international design competition, was a reviewer in scientific journals, supervised several theses of postgraduate students, and authored numerous publications in scientific journals and conferences. His research interests cover all aspects of light, with particular emphasis on issues related to architectural lighting and light art, as well as issues in the field of historic buildings, cultural heritage, and architectural digitization. He is also involved in scenography and lighting design in theatrical plays. He is a founding member of the Hellenic Lighting Association (HELIA), a member of Europeana, the Technical Chamber of Greece, and the Panhellenic Union of Architects.