ACS Alumni in Science

From classrooms to cutting-edge labs, ACS graduates are making waves in the world of science - and their journeys often begin right here on campus. As part of our ACS Alumni in Science series, we spotlight remarkable alumni like Nadia Dozova ’98 who is a Maitre de Conference at Pierre and Marie Curie University. This feature is part of The Science LAB fundraising campaign, which aims to expand opportunities in STEM for ACS students by enhancing the school's science facilities. Together, these efforts reflect the power of science education - and the lasting impact of investing in young minds with curiosity and courage.

If you had to explain what you do to a curious 10-year-old, how would you describe it?

I use physical and chemical methods to study the reactions of biomolecules like proteins and RNA. More precisely I use light to observe these reactions at very short times (millions of millions of times shorter than one second). A good analogy is to say that it is like making a movie and slowing it down to see exactly what happens at the molecular level.

What inspired you to pursue a career in science and how did your time at ACS influence your path?

Both my parents are scientists and all their friends were scientists too, so I have always been surrounded by researchers. It allowed me to see the good and the bad aspects of a career in science and to decide that this is what I wanted to do. Being in ACS helped a lot with my decision because all of the science teachers helped me get the knowledge necessary for envisioning a job in research. I would like to thank all of them, because they all contributed to getting me where I am now and especially to making me work at the interface of different scientific fields. I would particularly like to thank my physics teachers - Vanya Angelova and Krasimira Chakarova, because they were instrumental in getting me to start my higher education in physics. Even though I quickly bifurcated towards chemistry, I consider myself a physical chemist.

What’s one project or discovery you’re especially proud of? 

The one project I'm the most proud of is a laboratory "exercise" in the second year of university, in which I had to study the polarized light of exoplanets... which in reality were ping-pong balls "orbiting" a spot light. I had to take many photos, rotating a polarizing filter and positioning the "planet" and "star" in different orientations... which was extremely boring and fiddly. So I spent three out of the four sessions allotted to the project designing and 3D printing custom apparatus, ordering robotic controllers, and writing software to simultaneously control the electric motors and my camera, so that on the last day I could just plug everything together, press a button, sit back, and enjoy the show. While this is certainly not my most "significant achievement", it's the one experience from my career that perfectly epitomizes the ingenuity and kinds of motivation (tedium, but also fascination with creation and originality) that (should!) drive a scientist in their research.

What breakthrough in your field excites you the most right now and why?

There is not a particular project that comes to my mind. They all are dear to me, because everyone who works in research knows how much work goes into the smallest and seemingly most insignificant discovery. And at the end they are all valuable. The same can be said about big and small breakthroughs in all fields in general. I have a very “fundamental” view of research: every discovery is important in a way and if it cannot change the world around us right now it would certainly contribute to it in the future. But in order to give a palpable example in my field I would have to say the research in RNA modification. We all saw the impact it had during the COVID pandemics as it allowed us to get new vaccines very quickly and hopefully will help fight other illnesses like cancer in the future.

Can you share a favorite memory from your science classes or teachers at ACS?

I have a lot of fond memories especially concerning the physics and chemistry “профили”. Even though the two classes were completely separate, our teachers and the students created a kind of synergy that allowed us to mingle and watch “scientific” movies or play quizzes together. We were so blended together that I have trouble remembering who was a physicist and who was a chemist in the group. And, of course, there were the very memorable trips! The physics Olympiad in Stara Zagora where we played the “movies” games all the time and the astronomy club hike to Хижа Ехо where I learned the basics of identifying constellations. We had such a great time that we gathered together again a year after graduation to observe the 1999 full solar eclipse.

Why do you believe it’s important to invest in science education today?

I would say it is important to invest in any and every type of education. We live in a very chaotic world, surrounded by fake news and skepticism towards science. The only way to protect us from the dangers lurking around us is if we learn how to think by ourselves and science gives us some of the best tools to achieve this goal. Critical thinking, knowing to ask the right questions, the formulation of a hypothesis, proving it by experiment, using theory and data analysis are all tools that can be used everywhere, not only in science. Science education is necessary for everybody, not only those destined to become researchers.

I would like to end with a quote from my favorite writer Terry Pratchett: “Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.” This statement is so completely true and it only depends on us to transform “real stupidity” to “real intelligence” by better educating the next generation.

At ACS, our students aren’t just learning science - they’re using it to make a difference. They have the talent and drive to solve real‑world problems and they are tackling ambitious projects. Our alumni’s impressive achievements in scientific research and innovation are a testament to the strength of their education—and with your support for The Science LAB fundraising campaign, we can empower the next generation of changemakers. Join us in investing in the future by donating today at: https://acs.bg/giving/donate