Michael A. Bekos

Michael A. Bekos

Assistant Professor
Department of Mathematics
University of Ioannina

Welcome to my website! I am Michael Bekos and I am an assistant professor at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Ioannina in Greece. I received my PhD from the National Technical University of Athens in 2009, and my MSc and BSc from the University of Ioannina in 2004 and 2002, respectively. I have also served as postdoctoral fellow at the algorithmic groups of the National Technical University of Athens and of the University of Tübingen.

My research interests focus on theoretical aspects of Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics; in particular, on the development of algorithms and combinatorics to solve problems mostly from the research areas of Graph Drawing, Graph Theory, Information Visualization and Map Labeling. My research work includes research papers published in prestigious journals and peer-reviewed conferences, which have received several citations.

Interests

  • Algorithm Design
  • Combinatorics
  • Graph Drawing
  • Graph Theory
  • Information Visualization
  • Map Labeling

Education

  • Ph.D. in Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics

    2004 - 2008, National Technical University of Athens

  • M.Sc. in Computational Mathematics and Computer Science

    2002 - 2004, University of Ioannina

  • B.Sc. in Mathematics

    1998 - 2002, University of Ioannina

How to contact me

 
  • https://myweb.uoi.gr/bekos/
  • bekos [at] uoi [dot] gr
  • +30-26510-08250
  • +30-26510-07005
  • Office: 205γ, 2nd floor
  • Mathematics Department, University Campus Ioannina
    GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece
  • Office hours: Tuesday 12:15 to 14:00
 

Teaching

Lecture Notes

You can download my lecture notes for the algorithmic courses that I am offering using this link

Theses and Projects

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in writing your thesis or doing a project course in an area related to my research interests. In general, specific topics are available on request, but some general ones, which are continuously available, are listed here:
  • Graph Drawing (have a look to this introductory lecture, that is part of this series by Philipp Kindermann, for a quick introduction)
  • Linear Layouts of Graphs (have a look to this video by James Grime on NumberPhile for a simple and cool introduction)
  • Solving Hard Combinatorial Problems with SAT solving (for an application to linear graph layouts have a look here)
  • Algorithmic Map Labeling, Cartography and Geometry (for an in-depth introduction have a look to this survey)

Past Courses

Here is a list of courses that I have taught in the past.

  • Special Topics in Computer Science, WS2022, BSc, U. Ioannina.
    Methoden der Algorithmik, WS2021, SS2021, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Effiziente Algorithmen, SS2020, BSc, U. Passau.
    Graphen und Netzwerkalgorithmen Praktikum, SS2020, MSc, U. Passau.
    Methoden der Algorithmik, WS2020, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Algorithmen und Komplexitat, SS2019, MSc, U. Tübingen.
    Graphen und Netzwerkalgorithmen Praktikum, SS2019, MSc, U. Tübingen.
    Methoden der Algorithmik, WS2018, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Graphenzeichnen Seminar, WS2018, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Graphen und Netzwerkalgorithmen Praktikum, WS2015-2018, MSc, U. Tübingen.
    Graph Databases Seminar, SS2018, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Spezialle Themen der Algorithmik, SS2016-2017, MSc, U. Tübingen.
  • Computational Complexity Seminar, WS2017, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Graph Coloring Seminar, WS2017, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Seminar Beyond Planarity, WS2016, MSc, U. Tübingen.
    Kombinatorische Algorithmen Seminar, SS2015, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Seminar zum Programmierprojekt RaceTrack, SS2015, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Concrete Mathematics Seminar, WS2014, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Programmierprojekt in Software Engineering, SS2014, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Graphenzeichnen Seminar, SS2014, BSc, U. Tübingen.
    Object oriented programming, WS2005-2008, 2010-2011, MSc, NTUA.
    Complexity, WS2010, MSc, TEI Athens.
    Algorithms and complexity, WS2010, BSc, TEI Athens.
 

Journal guest editorships

Chair of program committees

  • EuroCG2024, Ioannina, Greece, March 13-15, 2024.
  • GD2023, Sicily, Italy, September 20-22, 2023.
  • WG2022, Tübingen, Germany, June 21-23, 2022.

Memberships in steering committees

Organization of conferences

  • EuroCG2024, Ioannina, Greece, March 13-15, 2024.
  • WG2022, Tübingen, Germany, June 21-23, 2022.
  • GD2021, Tübingen, Germany, September 15-17, 2021.

Organization of workshops

  • GNV2025, Chania, Crete, Greece, June 22–27, 2025.
  • GNV2024, Heiligkreuztal, Germany, June 23–28, 2024.
  • GNV2023, Chania, Crete, Greece, June 25–30, 2023.
  • GNV2022, Heiligkreuztal, Germany, June 26–July 1, 2022.
  • GNV2019, Heiligkreuztal, Germany, June 30–July 5, 2019.
  • GNV2018, Heiligkreuztal, Germany, July 1-6, 2018.
  • GNV2017, Heiligkreuztal, Germany, June 25-30, 2017.
  • GNV2016, Chalkidiki, Greece, July 12-16, 2016.
  • GNV2015, Corfu, Greece, July 4-8, 2015.
  • GNV2014, Chania, Greece, July 6-9, 2014.

Memberships in program committees

  • GD2025, Norrköping, Sweden, September 24-26, 2025.
  • WG2025, Otzenhausen, Germany, June 11-13, 2025.
  • EuroCG2025, Liblice, Czech Republic, April 9–11, 2025.
  • EuroCG2023, Barcelona, Spain, March 29–31, 2023.
  • EuroCG2022, Perugia, Italy, March 14–16, 2022.
  • GD2021, Tübingen, Germany, September 15-17, 2021.
  • EuroCG2020, Würzburg, Germany, March 16–18, 2020.
  • GD2019, Prague, Czech Republic, September 17-20, 2019.
  • GD2017, Boston, USA, September 25-27, 2017.
  • IISA2016, Chalkidiki, Greece, July 13-15, 2016.
  • IISA2015, Corfu, Greece, July 6-8, 2015.
  • GD2014, Würzburg, Germany, September 24-26, 2014.
  • IISA2014, Chania, Greece, July 7-9, 2014.

Research

Editorships

  1. Michael A. Bekos, Markus Chimani (eds.): Special issue on Selected papers from the 31st International Symposium on Graph Drawing and Network Visualization, GD 2023, J. Graph Algorithms Appl. 28(2) (2024).
  2. Michael A. Bekos, Markus Chimani (eds.): Graph Drawing and Network Visualization - 31st International Symposium, GD 2023, Isola delle Femmine, Palermo, Italy, September 20-22, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part I, Springer (2023).
  3. Michael A. Bekos, Markus Chimani (eds.): Graph Drawing and Network Visualization - 31st International Symposium, GD 2023, Isola delle Femmine, Palermo, Italy, September 20-22, 2023, Revised Selected Papers, Part II, Springer (2023).
  4. Michael A. Bekos, Michael Kaufmann (eds.): Graph-Theoretic Concepts in Computer Science - 48th International Workshop, WG 2022, Tübingen, Germany, June 22-24, 2022, Revised Selected Papers, Springer (2022).
  5. Michael A. Bekos, Michael Kaufmann, Fabrizio Montecchiani (eds.): Special Issue on Graph Drawing Beyond Planarity, J. Graph Algorithms Appl. 22(1) (2018).

Books or Book Chapters

  1. Michael A. Bekos, Benjamin Niedermann, Martin Nöllenburg: External Labeling: Fundamental Concepts and Algorithmic Techniques External Labeling,Synthesis Lectures on Visualization, Springer (2021).
  2. Michael A. Bekos, Luca Grilli: Fan-Planar Graphs. Beyond Planar Graphs, Springer: 131-148 (2020).
  3. Michael A. Bekos: k-Planar Graphs. Beyond Planar Graphs, Springer: 109-130 (2020).

Publication List

Selected Publications

  1. Michael A. Bekos, Martin Gronemann, Chrysanthi N. Raftopoulou: An Improved Upper Bound on the Queue Number of Planar Graphs. Algorithmica 85(2): 544-562 (2023).
  2. Muhammad Jawaherul Alam, Michael A. Bekos, Vida Dujmovic, Martin Gronemann, Michael Kaufmann, Sergey Pupyrev: On dispersable book embeddings. Theor. Comput. Sci. 861: 1-22 (2021).
  3. Jawaherul Md. Alam, Michael A. Bekos, Martin Gronemann, Michael Kaufmann, Sergey Pupyrev: Queue Layouts of Planar 3-Trees. Algorithmica 82(9): 2564-2585 (2020).
  4. Michael A. Bekos, Michael Kaufmann, Fabian Klute, Sergey Pupyrev, Chrysanthi N. Raftopoulou, Torsten Ueckerdt: Four Pages Are Indeed Necessary for Planar Graphs. J. Comput. Geom. 11(1): 332-353 (2020).
  5. Patrizio Angelini, Michael A. Bekos, Giuseppe Liotta, Fabrizio Montecchiani: Universal Slope Sets for 1-Bend Planar Drawings. Algorithmica 81(6): 2527-2556 (2019).
  6. Michael A. Bekos, Henry Förster, Martin Gronemann, Tamara Mchedlidze, Fabrizio Montecchiani, Chrysanthi N. Raftopoulou, Torsten Ueckerdt: Planar Graphs of Bounded Degree Have Bounded Queue Number. SIAM J. Comput. 48(5): 1487-1502 (2019).
  7. Michael A. Bekos, Till Bruckdorfer, Michael Kaufmann, Chrysanthi N. Raftopoulou: The Book Thickness of 1-Planar Graphs is Constant. Algorithmica 79(2): 444-465 (2017).
  8. Michael A. Bekos, Martin Gronemann, Chrysanthi N. Raftopoulou: Two-Page Book Embeddings of 4-Planar Graphs. Algorithmica 75(1): 158-185 (2016).
  9. Michael A. Bekos, Chrysanthi N. Raftopoulou: On a conjecture of Lovász on circle-representations of simple 4-regular planar graphs. J. Comput. Geom. 6(1): 1-20 (2015).
  10. Michael A. Bekos, Michael Kaufmann, Antonios Symvonis, Alexander Wolff: Boundary labeling: Models and efficient algorithms for rectangular maps. Comput. Geom. 36(3): 215-236 (2007).

Collaborators

  • Md. Jawaherul Alam (Amazon Inc., USA)
  • Patrizio Angelini (John Cabot University, Italy)
  • Giordano Da Lozzo (U. Roma III, Italy)
  • Walter Didimo (U. Perugia, Italy)
  • Henry Förster (TU Munich, Germany)
  • Matrin Gronemann (U. Köln, Germany)
  • Michael Kaufmann (U. Tübingen, Germany)
  • Philipp Kindermann (U. Trier, Germany)
  • Beppe Liotta (U. Perugia, Italy)
  • Tamara Mchedlidze (U. Utrecht, the Nederlands)
  • Fabrizio Montecchiani (U. Perugia, Italy)
  • Martin Nöllenburg (TU Wien, Austria)
  • Sergey Pupyrev (Meta, USA)
  • Antonis Symvonis (NTUA, Greece)

More about me

I was born on March 30th, 1981 in Athens, Greece. I am married to Fouli and we have three wonderful kids, Maria-Artemis, Thanos and Nicole. I love playing basketball, listening to music, hanging out with friends, travelling and Christmas! I am passionate about anything and everything that has to do with research, e.g., collaborating with colleagues, working and exchanging ideas with students on diferent research topics, participating in research meetings, etc. Below you can find a few photos of mine from different events that I have participated in (always surrounded by friends).