Chemistry has been one of the courses taught in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki since the School of Physics and Mathematics was founded in 1927.

Professor Tryphon Karantassis was the first one to teach General Chemistry at the University. Three laboratories were founded in the 1940s, i.e., the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, the Organic Chemistry Laboratory and the Physical Chemistry Laboratory. The first professors appointed to supervise the abovementioned laboratories were Constantinos Kavassiadis, Georgios Varvoglis, and Leandros Kapatos respectively. The three laboratories were incorporated into the newly founded School of Chemistry in 1943. The School of Chemistry was part of the School of Physics and Mathematics.

The laboratory of General Chemistry of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics in photography (Photo of 1937 from the archive of An. Koukioglou)

The glass warehouse in the basement of the old Faculty of Philosophy (Photo archive of G. Manousaki)

Laboratory room in the basement of the old Faculty of Philosophy (Photo archive of G. Manousaki)

The abovementioned professors were assisted by Constantinos Vasiliades, Emmanouil Voyatzakis, and Georgios Tsatsaronis, who were the first to teach the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, and the Inorganic and Organic Chemical Technology Laboratory courses that were introduced later.

They all committed themselves to organizing the School of Chemistry and promoting teaching and research, and their assistants were later to become professors in the School, playing a key role in its recognition as one of the best Schools of Chemistry in Greece.

The Chemistry building that was completed and opened in 1957

New laboratories have also been founded, such as the Biochemistry Laboratory, the Food Chemistry Laboratory, the Applied Quantum Chemistry Laboratory and the Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory. Thus, the School of Chemistry provides teaching and research training in a wide variety of disciplines related to chemistry.