The Onassis Foundation, in association with the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) of the University of Crete, organises an annual series of high-level scientific lectures, The Onassis Foundation Science Lecture Series. The lectures cover the following applied sciences fields: physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computer science. The lecture series are week-long and aims at the further education and advancement of young Greek scientists, both graduates and post-graduates.

The lectures, which take place in July at the FORTH premises in Heraklion, Crete, are given in English by internationally acclaimed scientists, and are supplemented by lectures given by Greek scientists, distinguished in the corresponding fields.
Up to four series of lectures are given each year, covering topics which are at the cutting edge of international scientific research in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computer science.

The Foundation covers the expenses for travelling to and accommodation at Heraklion for 50 Greek students and 30 foreign students, graduates and post-graduates, based on their academic credentials.

A 10-member committee, of internationally acclaimed Greek scientists, is responsible each year for selecting the lecturers to be invited.

The collaboration began in 2001 and since then, eminent academicians have participated in lectures and seminars of the FORTH as keynote speakers.
Among them and indicative by chronological order in the seminars are : Prof. Ahmed Zewail- Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1999, Edmonf Fischer –Nobel Prize in Medicine 1992, Jim Gray-Prize Turing 1998, Christos Papadimitriou – Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, UC Berkeley USA, Gunter Blobel –Nobel in Medicine 1999, Edward Witten – Fields Medal Prize (highest recognition in mathematics), Hamilton Smith – Nobel Prize in Medicine 1978, Sir Harold Kroto – Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1996,  Robert Horwitz – Nobel Prize in Medicine 2002, Eric Kandel – Nobel Prize in Medicine 2000, Takeo Kanade- Founder of the Institute in Robotics of the Carnegie Mellon University USA, Peter Agre – Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2003, Wolfang Ketterle – Nobel Prize in Physics 2001, Joseph Sifakis – Turing Award 2007, Rolf Zinkernagel – Nobel Prize in Medicine 1996, Adi Shamir – Turing Award 2002.
 
For more information for the full programme of the Onassis Foundation Science Lecture Series (FORTH), you may visit : http://www.forth.gr/onassis/.