The seventh interdisciplinary doctoral forum took place from April 27 to 29 in Velingrad. The event is a tradition for the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. It is organized annually by the PhD Training Center – BAS and the Career Center at it. This edition of the forum was made possible with partial support from the“Education with Science” National Program.
During the official opening, Corresponding Member Evdokia Pasheva, Vice-President of BAS, wished the forum participants success. Prof. Antonia Stoyanova, Director of the PhD Training Center – BAS, welcomed the guests to the event and noted “… Over the years, this forum has established itself as a significant event for bringing together young researchers from various scientific fields, an opportunity for doctoral students to exchange ideas, present the results of their scientific work, discuss scientific problems, and create emotional contacts. It is precisely these young people – it is you – who are the future of science… I wish you inspiration, fruitful discussions, productive meetings, and the confidence to share your ideas and scientific pursuits… May this scientific forum mark the beginning of new scientific connections, successful collaborations and friendships, and future achievements. I wish the forum every success!…”.
The forum brought together over 60 doctoral students from all scientific fields of BAS, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” Plovdiv Medical University, and Northeastern University London. They presented their research, exchanged ideas, and sought new points of intersection between various topics and fields.
Prof. Neil Allan, a guest lecturer from the University of Bristol with over 40 years of experience in computational chemistry and molecular modeling and a recipient of the Royal Society of Chemistry Award in the field of geochemistry, presented two lectures in the field of computational chemistry and its application in different areas.
For the second consecutive year, talented pupils enrolled at HSSI-BAS at the PhD Training Centre of BAS participated in the forum. They gave excellent presentations on the projects they were working on during the “Man and Society” and “Climate Change, Hazards, and Natural Resources” sessions.
The event fostered an environment for active scientific dialogue in which young researchers had the opportunity to build new professional contacts, discover opportunities for joint publications and projects, and receive valuable feedback from colleagues and established scientists.
As part of the forum, the team at the Career Center of the PhD TrC – BAS organized, for the first time, a “Communication Warm-up” session which offered a dynamic way to break down academic barriers and bridge the gaps between different scientific fields. The factors for building a successful team were discussed, and the doctoral students had the opportunity to learn more about their own role and contribution to teamwork. Participants were divided into interdisciplinary teams and, at the end of the forum, presented five innovative project ideas – scientifically sound and practically applicable.
Corr. Memb. Evelina Slavcheva, President of BAS, addressed the young scientists with the words: “…Thank you for being here, for deciding to pursue a career in science. Our country needs young, educated people to revitalize it. We are currently commemorating the April Uprising, and I am still moved by yesterday’s emotions. I truly believe that without young, intelligent, and ambitious people, the country cannot thrive, so I am very pleased to see such a large participation. Secondly, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers of this forum because, when this initiative by the BAS PhD Training Center was launched, things were quite difficult; our colleagues put in a lot of effort to get this event off the ground… now it has become a tradition, and every year the number of people wanting to participate exceeds more and more the available spots… I want to thank everyone who has contributed to making this forum a reality, and I believe that in such an informal setting, in addition to discussing scientific topics, many personal things are shared, and friendships are formed…. I wish everyone a successful completion of their doctoral dissertations and hope you find your path in science…”.
At the conclusion of the Seventh Interdisciplinary Doctoral Forum, Prof. Antonia Stoyanova thanked the President of BAS and the scientific secretaries of BAS for their active participation, mentorship, and support. She expressed her satisfaction with the participation of the doctoral students, who, in addition to their excellent and valuable presentations, actively participated in the discussions, demonstrating their strong commitment to the forum and to science. She also congratulated the pupils on their performance, noting that she looked forward to welcoming them as doctoral students at BAS.
Prof. Antonia Stoyanova awarded doctoral students selected by the forum’s jury for their excellent performance in oral presentations or posters.
Nine doctoral students received certificates and awards for outstanding oral presentations, as follows:
Albena Milanova-Kamenova – Institute of Philosophy and Sociology – BAS
Aneta Lambevska – Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research – BAS
Georgi Vassilev – Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry – BAS
Denislav Rusev – Space Research and Technology Institute – BAS
Dilyana Hristova – National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy, and Geography – BAS
Kaloyan Berberov – “Stephan Angeloff” Institute of Microbiology – BAS
Krasimir Kolev – “Acad. Angel Balevski” Institute of Metal Science, Equipment, and Technologies with the Center for Hydro- and Aerodynamics – Varna – BAS
Maria Cafedzhiyska – Institute of Philosophy and Sociology – BAS
Rosen Bahtev – Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy – BAS
The following two doctoral students received certificates for their outstanding poster presentations:
Vania Pechikamakova-Zabcheva – Institute for Population and Human Studies – BAS
Veliko Kostadinov – “Academician Roumen Tsanev” Institute of Molecular Biology – BAS
Pupils from HSSI-BAS at PhD TrC – BAS were also honored for their participation in the forum. The awards were presented by Corr. Memb. Evelina Slavcheva, President of BAS.
Here you can view a photo gallery from the Seventh Interdisciplinary Doctoral Forum:
