Stathis Avramidis, PhD – Greece
Stathis Avramidis, DipEd, BEd, MSc, PhD serves water safety as an athlete, lifeguard, instructor, academic, and media professional. In Greece, he works as an Advisor of Health Education and Accident Prevention at the General Secretariat of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, as an Associate in the Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and as a Director of Lifesaving Sport at the Hellenic Federation of Underwater Activity. He was a Lecturer of Aquatics/Visiting Research Fellow at Leeds Metropolitan University (2003–2012). He has authored approximately 300 publications on water safety (books, magazine and peer-reviewed journal articles, DVDs, conference presentations and films). His honors for contributions towards the advancement of water safety, include the Paragon Aquatic Safety and the ISHOF Service awards (International Swimming Hall of Fame), two Diplomas (Royal Life Saving Society Commonwealth), the Best Young Film Director (International Aquatic History Symposium and Film Festival, 2012), and his inclusion among the “Greatest Watermen in Open Water Swimming History” (World Open Water Swimming Association, 2015). After he co-authored the book “Near-Death Experiences while Drowning“, his deepest understanding is that the most important things in life are our acts of love and learning.